


Chasing Magic

by Starlight1395



Category: Mythical Creatures - Fandom
Genre: Basilisk - Freeform, F/M, Fairy, Magic, Mythology - Freeform, Romance, Sexual Situations, back stories, dating sim, different route for each character, dragon - Freeform, mermaid, merman, mythical creatures, unicorn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-07-16 07:49:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 27,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7258852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starlight1395/pseuds/Starlight1395
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma, shipwrecked and lost, finds herself on a tropical island. At first her main concern is getting home, but the farther she travels into the island, she realizes getting home is the least of her problems. On the island is six men, each as different as could be, but each just as captivating. Kei, the Dragon, who is fierce and loyal but sometimes loses his temper. Chey, the fairy, who is mischievous and tricky, but seems to be hiding something. Alban, the unicorn, who is haughty and rude, but has a gentle side not many know about. Axel, the Griffin, who is smart and reliable, but is more than meets the eye. Dane, the basilisk, who is shy and scared because of a dangerous gift. Indra, the mermaid, who thinks he is better than everyone, and needs someone to knock him down to size. Choose Emma's path, choose her love. Will she chase after the magic? Or run from it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction Part 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Emmac718](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emmac718/gifts).



> The first chapter of the Introduction. Once all of the intro is posted, each route will be written.

The boat rocked faster and faster, the waves crashing onto the deck with enough force to splinter the wood. I hid under the deck, eyes closed tight. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I booked a tour of the islands, which was only supposed to last an hour at the most.

Instead, a storm rolled in without any warning. One second there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the next the boat was being ripped to pieces.

I couldn’t help but scream as the boat lurched violently to the side, causing me to slam my head on the wooden sides. My vision started to dim as I saw a figure kneel over me. He was tall and terrifying, despite the concern on his face.

I couldn’t tell if he was young or old, but he seemed powerful. Just then, my vision went completely dark.

* * *

  
I woke up to the worst headache I had ever had in my entire life. It was like there was an entire marching band marching on top of my face. I blinked wearily and sat up, grimacing as sand stuck to my clothes.

Looking around, I saw that I had washed up on an island. There was blue as far as the eye could see in front of me, and lush foliage so thick I couldn’t see more than a few inches in behind me. The island was alive with sounds, which on any other day would have been beautiful, but today the various bird calls made my head pound even more.

After a few minutes, I managed to stand and check for other injuries. I was happily shocked to notice the only real injury I had was a headache. Thoughts of a concussion flitted through my mind, but I didn’t have any way to check that. I would just have to stay awake for a while…

I scanned the tree line for a path, almost expecting not to find one at all. Just as I was preparing myself to fight through the plants, I spotted a path about a hundred feet down the beach.

I slowly made my way to the path, hesitating every few steps when the movement caused my head to throb. I heard something in the sky as a shadow passed over the beach. I looked up, hoping to see a helicopter, but there was nothing.

Grimacing again, I moved to the path. Hopefully the shade would help alleviate the headache a little bit. I stepped onto the path and sighed in relief. Being out of the direct sunlight felt amazing on my shoulders.

I listened to the birds sing as I followed the path, noting how it seemed fairly well worn. I hopped over a little brook that cut across the path but when my foot connected with the mud, I slipped and landed painfully on my butt.

Blinking back tears, I stood. Before I made it all the way up, something caught my eye. About a foot away, perfectly imprinted in the mud, was a hoof print. I couldn’t figure out why that seemed to out of place to me until a bird called loudly above.

The realization hit me. This was a tropical island, in the middle of the ocean. What kind of hoofed animal lived on tropical islands? I frantically tried to search my memory for some kind of explanation. Maybe it meant that there were other humans with horses on the island! My eyes widened at the thought of being rescued with such little effort.

I continued along the path, looking around for any sign of other life. After another twenty minutes, the path opened up to a field. I looked across the field with a frown. The grass was about as high as my knees, and there were thousands of wildflowers coloring the green. Scanning the tree line again, I saw the path continued on the other side.

“How is there a field here?” I asked myself, my voice stolen away by the gentle breeze.

I made my way across the field, carefully walking through the tall grass. The fear of bugs made its way to my mind, but I figured it would be better to cut straight across than walk along the outside. About halfway though I kicked something. Or rather, someone.

“Ouch!” A voice said from in the grass. I fell back, my heart beating wildly from the shock and fear. A figure stood, a bundle of flowers in his hand. It looked like he was putting the flowers in a satchel slung across his chest. He was much taller than me, my head coming to his chin. The first thing I noticed past his height was his hair, which was white as snow and went to his lower back. It was pulled back in a braid, so it was probably even longer than that. He had bangs that covered his forehead and right eye His free hand was rubbing his side, where a muddy mark was smeared on the white fabric.

“Oh god I’m sorry!” I found voice finally. I hoped I didn’t hurt the man too much. He looked at me, and I gasped. His eyes were such a light blue they looked almost clear, and his eye lashes were so dark it was like he was wearing makeup.

“You… who are you?” He asked, dropping his free hand to his side. A gust of wind blew through the field, the scent of flowers smacking me right in the face. The man’s bangs blew to the side, and I saw a starburst scar in the center of his forehead.

“I’m Emma.” I introduced myself, feeling self-conscious. His gaze seemed to pierce right through me. It was like he was trying to read my mind.

“You’re…” He trailed off, furrowing his brow and is nose. I felt anger building in my chest. This random man was making faces at me, while he was the one picking flowers in the middle of a tropical island.

“Um, my boat must have capsized. I just woke up on the beach. Is there any way to contact the main land? My parents are probably freaking out.” I realized I didn’t know how long I had been unconscious. What day was it? What time was it?

I glanced at the sky to see if I could guess what time it was from the sun and felt my heart drop. Something was horrifically wrong here. There wasn’t just one sun in the sky, but two, one slightly below the first.

“Is your head alright? The man asked, looking intensely at my forehead.

“Um, I must have hit it when the boat was sinking. I have a pretty bad headache but it’s starting to go away.” I admitted. The man looked a little shocked and pulled something out of his bag. It looked like a carved piece of wood in the shape of those long twisty lollipops they sold at the board walk, but tapered down to a point at the far end. He pointed it at my head and almost blinded me with a flash of light.

As the dancing dots cleared from my vision, I realized my headache was completely gone. I looked at the man, who was slipping the wood back into his bag, along with the rest of the flowers that were in his hands.

“That should about do it. But don’t get used to it. I don’t heal just anyone. Especially not humans.” He said, sniffling and folding his arms. I immediately wanted to knock this guy down a few pegs. I knew I should thank him, but his attitude pissed me off.

“You call me human like it’s some kind of insult.” I said, only a little bitter. The man looked at me with wide eyes. We stood in silence for a heartbeat before he laughed out loud. His laughter sounded like bells in the wind.

“My name is Alban. It’s obvious you don’t understand what’s happening. I guess I’ll have to escort you to Axel. He’ll explain this.” He said, not bothering to shake my hand.  
“I’m Emma.” I said, still a little upset at how haughty he seemed.

“Hmm, what a… human name.” He said, as if he was commenting on the weather. If this were an anime, I was sure there would be one of those anger marks on my forehead. “Come along. Axel lives through the forest.”

I followed Alban, trying to figure out how there was a field and a forest on a tropical island. Another cool breeze blew, causing the grass to move in waves. The wind smelled of pine and flowers. Nothing like the salt and sand of the beach.

Something was very, very wrong here.

* * *

  
I followed Alban through the field to the other side, where the trees were pine. I glanced back to the tropical trees on the other side, but all I saw was pine.

Alban wasn’t very willing to talk, and when he did he just proved more and more how holier-than-thou he was. Something about him seemed off, but I couldn’t really explain what it was.

“How did you make my headache go away?” I asked, running a little to keep up with his long strides. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye and smirked.

“How? I am the most magical being on this island, don’t let any of the others try to convince you otherwise. None of them are as powerful as me.” He said, turning away from me and picking up his pace.

“Magic? You say that as if it’s real.” I said, eyes glued to the path to watch for roots and rocks that could easily trip me. Without turning around, he answered.

“Of course it is.”

I raised my eyebrow and huffed a sigh, picking up my pace as well. The woods had started getting denser, tall pine trees blocking out the sun almost completely. I was about to ask another question when a laugh bounced off the trunks.

I whipped my head around, looking for the source. Alban didn’t seem concerned. Actually, he looked like he just stepped in something unmentionable. The laugh pealed again and he slowed to a complete stop.

“Get out here you bug.” Alban said in a bored voice. The laugh came again, this time from directly behind me. I whirled around a second time and came face to face with a boy. He didn’t seem too much younger than me, but there was something about him that seemed childish.

He was only slightly shorter than me, his eyes at my nose. His hair was brown, but seemed to have strands of green splattered throughout. His cheeky grin caught me off guard due to the amount of sharp teeth it showed. He had large wings sprouting from his back, almost identical to the dragon flies I had back home. Just like Alban, the boy’s eyes were one of his most noticeable features. It was like looking into two silver Christmas balls. It was actually quite unsettling.

“You’re such a bummer Ally.” The boy said, a hint of whining in his voice. Alban placed a hand over his eyes for a second and took a deep breath.

“Chey, you are the most annoying person on this god forsaken island, and I would prefer you stay far away from me. I’m sure Kei is overdue to be annoyed,” Alban said in a biting tone. He turned around and made a shooing motion with his hand towards the boy. “Besides, I’m far too busy to baby sit you today.”

“I don’t need a babysitter, you foal.” The boy – Chey I assumed – said with a growl. Alban looked positively livid. “I just wanted to see what the new smell was.”

He flitted over to me, his wings keeping him a few inches off the ground. He got right up in my face and grinned, causing me to go white.

“Oh, she’s pretty!” He said before moving in to sniff my hair. Before I could move away, he was back where I first saw him on the path. “And a human to boot. Kei is going to have a field day when he hears about this.”

“I wouldn’t tell that magma brains anything just yet. I’m taking the girl to see Axel. He’ll be the one to decide what to do with her.” Alban said haughtily, turning back the way he was going and gesturing to me to follow.

I turned to at least say goodbye to the boy but he was already gone, the leaves up ahead still stirring. I digested this new information and came to one, logical explanation.

This must be a coma dream.

I had heard stories of people who had vivid dreams while in their comas, and if this isn’t vivid, I don’t know what was. That explained the jungle turning into a forest, the magic man, the boy with wings. I laughed to myself, and then considered the notion that I was actually going crazy.

“Don’t lag behind. I won’t wait for you to catch up,” Alban called over his shoulder. I jogged to catch up, but noted that he did indeed slow down a little.

“Sorry… jeez.” I muttered under my breath, keeping my eyes on the path. I could feel him staring at me but I refused to give him the satisfaction of meeting his eye. We walked in silence for another minute or so before he said anything.

“Just a warning. Axel doesn’t like it when people waste his time.” He said, holding aside some branches. The ground below me started getting rockier, and I was even more worried about falling on my butt and pissing Alban off.

“Where does this guy live again?” I asked, wincing a little as my ankle rolled slightly.

“Just through the trees here. He built out his nest.” He said, brushing his bangs out of his face.

“Nest?” I asked myself quietly. If Alban heard, he didn’t respond. ‘What kind of ass backwards island is this? Nest? What’s next, living in a cave?’ I thought to myself as I walked through the trees at the end of the trail.  
  
In the next clearing was a mountain. Or rather, the side of the mountain and glade next to it. Despite the mountain being hundreds of feet tall, I hadn’t seen it at all. Not on the beach, nor walking through the woods. There was a large nest built into the side of the mountain, and it seemed to rest outside of a cave.  
  
There was a large building coming from the side of the mountain, built in such a way that I guessed there was an entrance from inside the mountain. Large windows showed bookcases filled to the brim with books of various sizes.  
  
Alban led me to a side door, walking in and hesitating at the last second to hold it for me. I followed him in and gasped lightly.  
  
The library was gorgeous. Floor to ceiling book shelves lined the walls, with old looking books on every surface. Where there weren’t bookshelves, there were intricately carved griffins and chairs. The whole building had that old book smell that made me want to jump for joy.  
  
“Who’s there?” A rumbling voice called from the upper level. Another man walked over to the balcony and looked over. “Alban, I thought you said you would never step foot nor hoof in my library after what happened last time.”  
  
This was one massive man. As he walked down the steps, I could easily tell he could break Alban in half with his bare hands. He was wider than Alban, his muscles straining slightly against his button down shirt. He was wearing a brown vest over a light yellow shirt, and usually that combination would look weird but it matched him perfect.  
  
He had shoulder length blonde hair, but it looked like he had feather in his hair as well. He was older looking, maybe in his mid-thirties, with wire rimmed glasses and faint smile lines around his mouth. He was shockingly tan next to the fair Alban.  
  
“Axel, I’m not here to listen to you mock me. If I wanted that I would go to the bay and talk to Indra.” Alban said bitterly. “I’m here to drop this off. I found her wandering the fields and didn’t know where else to take her.”  
  
I was instantly offended by the way he talked about me. I wasn’t some kind of lost puppy found wandering the forest…  
  
The newcomer looked at me with a serious expression before nodding.  
  
“I see. I can handle this from here.” He said, gesturing for me to follow him up the stairs. I felt my eyes widen comically as I saw a pair of sandy colored wings tucked tightly against his back. “I am Axel, the caretaker of this library and the wrangler of the kids out there.” He introduced himself with a playful grimace.  
  
“I’m Emma.” I said, following him up the staircase.  
  
“I can guess you’re quite confused, especially since Alban was the one to greet you.” He continued, holing the door at the end of the balcony open for me. I thanked him and entered. It was his study, dark wooden floors, shelves and desk were only broken up by cream accents here and there. There were papers stacked high on the desk in a haphazard pile.  
  
“Yeah, a little confused to say the least.” I said, taking a seat in one of the chairs across from the desk.  
  
“What can you tell me about how you got here?” He asked, walking over to a bookshelf and pulling a large leather book down.  
  
“Well, I was on a boat, and a storm rolled in. I guess I washed up on shore here. I found a path and followed it to this field, where I accidentally kicked Alban in the side.” I explained. Axel chuckled when I mentioned kicking the other man. “And well, he brought me here.”  
  
“Did you see anyone before you washed up?” He asked, flipping through a few pages of the book. I thought back, not sure what he was talking about. Just as I was about to give up and tell him I couldn’t remember, I thought of something.  
  
“Actually, there was a guy. I didn’t recognize him though. He looked… weird.” I didn’t have a real description of him. “I don’t know. I blacked out right after that.”  
Axel just hummed and sighed, taking his glasses off his face and placed them in his vest pocket. He sat in the large chair behind the desk and rest his elbows on the desk, and his chin on the top of his hand.  
  
“Well, that explains a lot of what’s going on.” He said with a serious expression. “That man was… he likes to play God but usually ends up messing up the spells and causes chaos that I have to clean up.” He sighed again. He rolled up his sleeves and ran a hand through his hair.  
  
His arms had black tattoos of feathers that started at his wrist and disappeared under his shirt. The tattoos were so detailed it looked like I could pluck one right off his skin.  
  
“So, what does that mean for me?” I asked, wanting to figure out what was going on.  
  
“Well, it sounds like he found your sinking boat and tried to save you but sent you to our island instead.”  
  
“And?” I pushed, afraid to hear his answer.  
  
“It means, you’ll be stuck here until I can track him down and make him reverse the spell.” He said gravely. I leaned back in the chair, not really seeing anything. “There aren’t any extra rooms here, but I’ll take you to the town. I’m sure we can find a room in the inn for you.”  
  
“W-wait! How long will it take to find this guy?” I asked frantically.  
  
“Anywhere between a week and a year. Sometimes he disappears for months on end, and sometimes he pops in every day. He’s more fickle than a cat.”  
  
“A year…” I digested the information, tears pricking my eyes. “What about my parents? What about school? What about my job?”  
  
“Time moves differently here. Best case scenario, you’ll make it home without more than a few hours passing.”  
  
“And in the worst case?” I almost wished I hadn’t asked.  
  
“Worst case? You’ll return and several years would have passed.” He said. I definitely wished I hadn’t asked. “Come along Emma. You made it just in time for the market.”

* * *

  
“This island hosts many kinds of beings. At the same time, it hosts lots of traffic for others. The market is the busiest. We have creatures of all shapes and sizes come through.   
  
Most only stay for a few minutes, but some stay overnight, which is why we have the inn. Not many of us live here solely to live here though. Many of the permanent residents have jobs in the town. Other than me, I can think of five off the top of my head that don’t quite fit that description though.”  
  
“Who are the others?” I asked, trying to convince myself that this was a dream again.  
  
“You met Alban and if you walked through the forest you probably met Chey. Kei lives in the mountain but prefers to use a house in town when he’s in human form. You’ll want to steer clear of him, and the other two as well. Indra is rude and manipulative, and Dane is just… he’s too dangerous for any of us to go near.”  
  
“Human form?” I felt like I was annoying him with all my questions. “And why is this Dane person so dangerous?” at least the conversation killed time on the walk to the market place.  
  
“We all possess two forms, though some are more lax with showing theirs than others. As for Dane, he has powers that he is unable to control, which has caused many deaths in the past.” He explained patiently, holding a branch to the side so I could walk through. He was much nicer than Alban.  
  
“What’s your second form?” I asked hesitantly. Axel opened his mouth as if to say something but seemed to decide it would be better not too.  
  
“I’ll show you when there is more room. I can’t let someone go without knowing what is happening.” Axel slowed his steps to let me catch up. It seemed that all these men weren’t used to walking with someone shorter.  
  
“Axel! Axel! Look out!” A slightly familiar voice called from behind us. We both turned, and I felt a warm hand against my chest. Axel had pushed me out of the way, but left his large hand on my chest as he addressed the one who called after us.  
  
It was the boy with the strange eyes from before, only this time he looked guilty. There was a large splatter of something slightly glowing where we were just standing.  
  
“And what where you trying to accomplish this time?” Axel asked the boy in a very tired voice. Chey at least had the decency to look slightly ashamed.  
  
“I was just setting something up for later…” He said, pouting and shuffling his foot in the dirt. “I didn’t mean for it to go off right now.”  
  
“You’re lucky I managed to get us out of the way.” Axel scolded, though I could tell his heart wasn’t really in it. He seemed more tired and annoyed than angry.  
  
“Oh! You’re that girl that was with Alban!” Chey flew right up in my face, like he did the first time.  
  
“Emma.” I said, sticking my hand out.  
  
“Chey, nice to meet cha!” He took my hand and shook it violently. I thought my wrist was going to dislocate, but he quickly let go. “Are you guys headed to town?”  
  
“Yes, I was going to see if the Inn would give Emma a room until we find a way to send her home.” Axel explained, glancing with disdain to the pile of goo, which was slowly starting to grow. “Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ll be on our way.”  
  
“Wait!” Chey called after us. Axel only turned around enough to see the boy with one eye. “Kei is making a fuss in the town. He thinks one of the visitors took something from his hoard and is getting mad.” As if to punctuate his warning, a loud roar came from nearby.  
  
Birds scattered through the sky, and I was certain I saw some more humanoid figures flying away as well. I felt my stomach tighten in fear.  
  
“Of course he is… that man can never keep his temper in check.” Axel muttered, closing his eyes and sighing. “Thank you for the heads up, Chey. Just… be careful next time with your pranks. I don’t want to pull an angry unicorn off of you again.”  
  
“Of course! I’m always careful.” He said, rubbing the top of his head with his hand and grinning cheekily.  
  
“Come along Emma. If Kei is causing trouble, time may not be on our side..” Axel said, stepping around the goo pile, which was now twice its original size.  
  
“U-unicorn?” I asked, laughing in shock. What kind of backwards island did I wash up on? “I’m sorry, but unicorns don’t actually exist.”  
  
“Am I correct in assume whatever universe you came from doesn’t have magic?” He asked as if he was asking if I wanted another lump of sugar in my tea.

“Of course there’s no magic!” I exclaimed, raising my eyebrows at him, even though his back was towards me. “No one past middle school actually believes in magic. It’s all… made up fairy tales to make the world seem less horrible to kids. It’s a trick to make us think the world has some good in it.” I spat bitterly.  
  
“It sounds like you’ve had some bad experiences with your world.” He stated without looking at me. I shrugged my shoulders before remembering he couldn’t see me. I hummed in agreement but didn’t expand on it.  
  
“Well, in this world magic is not only real, but it’s everywhere. Every being on this island has magic. They are the ones that the fairy tales and legends forgot. We are the ones in stories and tales. We are magic.” He said, his voice swelling grandly. I could tell he enjoyed teaching , whether just about the island’s history or what though, I wasn’t sure.  
  
“But unicorns? That’s ridiculous.” I was sure I was in a dream. How else would this be happening?  
  
“You already met one. Alban is our resident unicorn” he said before muttering under his breath, “and resident pain in my neck.”  
  
“He’s a unicorn?” I could feel my jaw touching the dirt path. “B-but he looked so human!”  
  
“Yes, we have our creature forms and our human forms. It’s so we can blend in no matter where we go. Unfortunately, not all of us can blend in as flawlessly.” He said, his wings opened as if on their own, the feathers shivering gently.  
  
I had such an intense urge to stroke the feathers that I had to shove my hands in my pockets of my jeans. I scanned my mental library of mythical creatures that had sandy colored wings and narrowed it down to three. Rocs, griffins and hippogriffs.  
  
“Are you a… roc?” I asked, just throwing one of the names out there. Axel scoffed and shook his head.  
  
“Rocs are the most uncivilized, territorial creatures-” he stopped himself before continuing. “No, I am thankfully not related to those oversized chickens. I’m a griffin. One of the last of my kind.” He said, his voice morphing into something heart wrenching. He quickly covered it up. “But we have many kinds of creatures on this island. Unicorns, faeries, mermaids, dragons and…”  
  
“And…?” I prompted, wondering what the last one was.  
  
“And Dane.” He said simply. “Anyway, we’re almost there. Don’t make too much eye contact.” When I shot him a questioning look, he gave me an apologetic smile. “Some of the visitors are… excitable and could cause accidental incidents.”  
  
I didn’t say anything. I was too busy wondering what kind of creatures I was about to meet. I remember hearing stories of mermaids that dragged sailors to their deaths,   
dragons that ate knights in a single bite, elves and faeries that use magic to cause mayhem and tragedies.  
  
Within moments, we walked into a quaint little town. There were two-story buildings lining the walkway, shops on the bottom and apartments on top I assumed. There were open markets and actual shops open for business. At this time of day, I was surprised at how few people there were walking around. I counted maybe twenty just in the immediate area, but the lull of noise made me guess there weren’t many more throughout the town. Just as I was about to comment on how peaceful the town was, someone yelled.  
  
“ALRIGHT WHO DID IT?” A boomingly deep voice caused the ground to vibrate. Axel placed himself slightly in front of me. “YOU THINK I’M KIDDIN’ AROUND? I’LL SHOW YOU KIDDIN’ AROUND. YOU BASTARDS”  
  
Suddenly, there was a dragon in the middle of the town. I couldn’t help but scream at the sight. The dragon was giant, the tallest building coming to his chest. He was blood red and his horns, spiraling down his face like a ram, were black as the night.  
  
What was most terrifying was the bloodlust flickering in his eyes. I buried my face in Axel’s sleeve, my hands shaking.  
  
“Kei!” Axel’s voice boomed just as loud, carrying across the square. The dragon whipped his head around to see who called his name. He lowered his head until his eye was level to the older man. “You need to calm down now. You can’t keep transforming like this.”  
  
“I can and I will until it’s returned!” The dragon said. Well, he didn’t say it, he more opened his jaw and the words came out.  
  
“What’s missing?” I asked, stepping out from behind Axel. Maybe if I could help he would like me and, you know, not eat me.  
  
“It’s-” His pupils narrowed and he whipped his head around to look directly at some kind of pale, wrinkly thing. The pale thing paled even further when it made eye contact with the dragon. “There.” His voice dropped into a growl, barely understandable.  
  
“H-here! I’m s-s-sorry! It was a p-p-prank!” The pale thing cried, throwing what looked like an old rag into the air. I focused on the rag, not sure why it was such a big deal. I was so focused, I didn’t see the dragon transform into a guy.  
  
The guy walked over and snagged the rag from the air, shoving it in his back pocket. I got a good look at the guy, and noted he was no less intimidating than his dragon form.   
  
He was tall, not as tall as Axel but close. He had long black hair that was broken up by the same curling horns, the tips touching his chin. His eyes were the same as well, golden with dark slits down the center. His wings stayed, large and scaly and twice the size of Axel’s feathered ones.  
  
Kei turned to us and grinned, but it looked more like a sneer.  
  
“Sorry pops but this was important.” He said, his voice deep and sounded like it came from the center of his chest.  
  
“Important enough to wreck the town again?” Axel asked, not looking amused. Kei pulled the rag from his back pocket and nodded.  
  
“Yeah, way more important.” He said, showing his sharp teeth off.  
  
“Is that…?” Axel asked, taking a step forward.  
  
“Yeah it is. That asshole thought it would be funny to mess with Dane and take his blindfold. The poor guy’s been cowering in a corner for three hours.” He growled, shoving the rag back in his pocket and spreading his wings.  
  
They were even more impressive than when they were folded up against his back. They were easily three times the length of his height and I could see the sun filtering through the thin skin. He took off, causing a small whirlwind in the ground under him.  
  
“Dane? Isn’t he the dangerous one?” I asked myself as I tried to fix my hair. “Kei said he was cowering in a corner without his rag. That doesn’t sound too dangerous...”  
  
“That boy has to learn to control his temper.” Axel growled, fixing his own hair with a skilled run through of his hand.  
  
“That was…” I found my voice, and despite my best intentions, it was shaking. “A dragon… holy shit!” The griffin tried to mask his grin but couldn’t keep it completely hidden.   
The wonder in my voice must have amused him.  
  
“Thankfully, Kei is about the only creature that can reach his own level of intensity. I’ll have to have another conversation with him about the dangers of transforming in the middle of town.” His voice said something different. I could tell talking to the dragon was the last thing he wanted to do any time in the near future. “Come along. The Inn is unharmed, thankfully. We can talk to the Inn Keeper about a room.”  
  
I followed, slightly less confident about this whole thing than before. The Inn was a quaint little building. It was only two stories and had a dozen flower pots out front. It reminded me of those cottages from fairy tales. I realized the irony in that comparison.  
  
“Oh, Mr. Axel! It’s been a while.” A beautiful woman from behind the counter said when we opened the door. She must have been a fairy, because she had shimmering blue hair and what looked like sparkling tattoos on her cheeks.  
  
“Yes, well I don’t leave the library as much these days.” Axel returns her greeting with a warm smile. “I was hoping there was a room available.”  
  
“There is, actually! You’re lucky you came this time of the season. It’ll get real busy in about a week.” She said, opening a book. “How long will you be staying, Mr. Axel?”  
  
“Actually, it’s not for me.” He said, stepping aside and pushing me forward a little bit. “It’s for my friend here. She needs a place to stay while I look for that good for nothing wizard.” Her eyes widened when she saw me, but she didn’t say anything about my human-ness.  
  
“Um, alright! We have a nice little room available!” The woman said, handing me a key. “It’s on the second floor, second room on the right. You’ll have a wonderful view of the marketplace.” I thanked her but hesitated.  
  
“Why don’t you go check out your room while I make the final arraignments?” Axel suggested, nodding his head towards the stair case. I gave a silent nod and left, trying not to make noise as I walked up the creaky steps.  
  
The second door on the right was easy to spot, mostly because it had a bright blue door. The doors on the second floor alternated between blue and white, which I thought was adorable. Just as I was about to put the key in the hole, a voice called to me.  
  
“You, miss. Are you the housekeeper? Because I need clean towels.” A man was leaning on the doorframe of the door diagonal of mine. He was lanky, but I could see muscle on his arms and stomach. He was completely naked except for a white towel wrapped around his waist. His blonde hair hung limp around his face, and I noted he had shells and seaweed caught up in it. His face and arms seemed to have colorful scales that faded into normal skin. He also had fins where his ears should be, but at this point is wasn’t the weirdest thing I had seen.  
  
“Um, I’m not-” I tried to say, but he didn’t listen.  
  
“Here, you can take these down too.” He disappeared into the room and reappeared seconds later with an armful of damp towels. He dumped them into my arms and turned away. “Please be prompt.” And with that, he closed the door.  
  
I stood there, dumbfounded. I glanced between my door and the stairs that lead back downstairs. I sighed and turned around, carefully making my way back down the stairs. I could barely see over the pile of towels, and I could feel my jacket soaking in the salty smelling water.  
  
“Um, Axel?” I said, through the pile. I could hear him talking, and when I spoke he fell silent.  
  
“Emma?” He asked, not sure what to think of my situation.  
  
“Someone handed me their towels and asked for more.” I said awkwardly. The lady behind the counter rushed over and took the towels from me with a look that was a mix between apologetic and horrified.  
  
“W-who gave you these?” She asked, putting them into a basket over on the other side of the room.  
  
“Um, some guy in the room diagonal of me. He had scales and seaweed in his hair.” I said, not sure if I should take the clean towels from the woman – the Inn seemed understaffed at the moment – or if I should go give that man a piece of my mind.  
  
“That would be Indra. He comes and stays here when he feels his cove is getting too polluted. He makes my workers go and clean it, leaving the inn empty. I’m so sorry about this.” She said, getting more and more flustered. I could have sworn I saw tears in her eyes.  
  
“It’s no problem! Just a simple mistake. If you’re understaffed, why don’t I help out some? I don’t mind, honest.” I offered, my heart melting at how relieved she looked.  
  
“W-would you really? Oh, goodness thank you! I don’t know what I was going to do!” She exclaimed, tearing up more.  
  
“Of course! I don’t think I could just sit by and watch you work your butt off, even if I wanted to!” I said, smiling at her. She began sniffling, and I was afraid if I said one more thing she would start full out bawling. “I’m just going to… take these towels up to Indra. If you need me for anything let me know.” I took the towels from her and headed back up the stairs.  
  
I felt a brief flash of anger that this man thought he could order me around, but the look of relief on her face was enough to cover it slightly. I went over to the door and knocked twice before taking a small step back.  
  
“About time. I was afraid I was going to have to write a bad review of your services.” He answered the door without as much as a hello. He took the towels and turned to close the door again, but I wasn’t going to let him off the hook so easily. I shoved my foot in the closing door.  
  
“My name is Emma. I’m a guest at this Inn as much as you are. I’m helping out because you sent all the workers away. Now, if you’d be so kind as to mind your manners in the future, I’d very much appreciate it. And I’m sure everyone around you would appreciate it too.” I said, nudging the door open more with my foot.  
  
“How insolent! Do you know who I am?” He asked haughtily, throwing the door wide open. I looked him up and down and scowled.  
  
“Someone who doesn’t own a shirt apparently.” I said with only a little bit of spite. He glanced down at himself as if he didn’t realize he was only wearing a pair of pants. His face turned blue, which I guessed was some kind of fishy blush. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I would like to see my room before I’m called to do something else for you.”  
  
I turned and walked to my room, ignoring the shell-shocked look on his face. I unlocked the door and walked in, waiting until the door was firmly closed behind me to let out the breath I had been holding. That was more nerve-wracking than I thought it would be.  
  
I looked around the room and felt my heart calm. The room had hardwood floors and paneled walls. There was a red and white quilt on the bed, with matching pillows. It had a small bedside table with a lamp, and a wooden closet with a chair next to it. There were two doors, one that led to a small closet and another that lead to a bathroom. The bathroom was just as simple as the room. A small shower stall, toilet and sink with cottagey details that make it feel very homey.  
  
I flop down on the bed and close my eyes, feeling my stress melt off of me. Just as I was about to drift off into a nap, there was a knock at my door. I groaned and rolled over, staggering to my feet and opening the door.  
  
“Did you settle in?” Axel asked, all business – which seems to be his default mode.  
  
“I don’t have much, so yeah I guess.” I said, inviting him in. He only spared a passing glance to the room before turning back to me.  
  
“The Inn Keeper offered to pay you a wage for helping, and in turn she will give you free meals and won’t charge for the room. After this, if you’d like to seek out another place to stay, or remain here, it’s up to you. There are plenty of jobs available in the market.” He explained, looking more awkward that I had seen him all day.  
  
“Thank you Axel, for bringing me here. I don’t know what I would have done if I had to wander around on my own.” I thank the man, smiling brightly up at him. He blushed faintly and rubbed the back of his head, the soft looking feathers rustling.  
  
“If you ever need to reach me, send a water message. Or you can always stop by the library,” he said, his tone turning more formal again.  
  
“Water message?” I asked, not sure if this was something I should already know or not.  
  
“Ah yes. I forget that you aren’t familiar with all our customs. If you want to send a water message you gather a bowl and fill it with water. When it settles, you place your hand over the bowl and say the name of the people you want to speak with. If there is a flat plane of water or a mirror nearby, the will be able to communicate with you.”  
  
“That sounds a lot like scrying.” I didn’t know much about magic, but I did know a little. Axel’s mouth twitched into a half smile.  
  
“Yes, it is similar, but with scrying the other person can’t hear you. It’s more of a one way connection. Water messages are two way.” He explained.  
  
“That’s pretty handy.” I commented. “And it doesn’t cost anything?”  
  
“Well, it takes energy, so if you talk for too long you might become dizzy or in the worst case, pass out. So you must be careful of that.” He said, moving back to the door. “Now, I must be on my way, but if you need anything do not hesitate to contact me.”  
  
“Thank you Axel.” I smiled warmly at him, and he smiled back before leaving. When the door clicked behind him, I finally felt everything crash down on me. I was tired, I was hungry, I was sweaty, and I was all alone in this weird world.  
  
I could feel myself tearing up, but I refused to cry. As a human on a magic island, I had to be strong. I went into the bathroom and turned on the shower, letting the water warm as I stripped. Thankfully my clothes weren’t too dirty.  
  
My jeans were dusty, but my sweatshirt was mostly clean. My t-shirt underneath was soaked though, as were my bra and panties. I sighed when I realized I had absolutely nothing to my name here. I used the shampoo that was on the sink and washed my shirt, bra and panties in the sink, laying them out to dry when I climbed into the shower.  
  
The hot water felt amazing. It was like the shower was washing away the craziness of what happened that day. I glanced down and made a face as I saw dirt washing down the drain. When my fingers started to wrinkle, I turned off the shower and stepped out.  
  
Wrapping a towel around me, I dug through the cabinet under the sink and pulled out the hair dryer and tried to dry my panties. The rest could wait until morning. When they were dry, I slipped them back on, along with my sweatshirt, and crawled into bed.  
  
I realized as I drifted off to sleep that I should have checked in with the Inn Keeper, but I was way too tired. I don’t think I ever fell asleep so fast in my life.


	2. Introduction Part 2

The next morning, I awoke to someone knocking politely on my door. After almost falling out of the bed, I stumbled over and opened it a crack, not completely unaware that I wasn’t wearing pants. It was the Inn Keeper, holding a package and an apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry to wake you Miss Emma, but this package arrived this morning. Usually I have a delivery person do this, but…” She trailed off, looking worried

“Let me guess, they’re with the others cleaning up whats-his-face’s area?” I asked, sleepily. Her eyes widened a fraction before she smiled again.

“Yes, exactly. I hate to ask you to do this so early, but I can’t leave the Inn unattended. I have breakfast prepared down in the kitchen, so you can eat before heading out.” She said, her hair sparkling more in the early morning light that escaped the crack in my door.

“I can deliver the package. Let me get dressed.” I offered her a reassuring smile, which she returned gratefully.

“Thank you so much Miss Emma.” She said, bowing slightly before letting me close the door and turn back. I moved to the bathroom and scowled when I realized my clothes were still damp. It took ten minutes to dry then enough that it wouldn’t gross me out.

When I was fully dressed, I went downstairs, where an almost heavenly scent filled the air. I made my way to the kitchen, which was hidden behind a door in the lobby. It was small and quaint, just like the rest of the building, but had pretty modern looking things in it.

The counter was covered in plates and platters of fresh food, which made my mouth water. There were two more people in the kitchen, and I guessed they were also guests because they were chatting at the small table, eating and laughing.

I loaded my plate with potatoes and toast and scrambled eggs. I passed over the bacon and sausage though. I was a new turned vegetarian, and though it was still tough sometimes to avoid meat, I was trucking through. It’s actually becoming easier the longer I go.

I moved to sit with the other two, but when they caught sight of me, they fell silent. We stared at each other for a moment before they abruptly stood and left, leaving their plates on the table. While I was offended, I was angrier that they left their trash behind.

Placing my own plate down for a moment, I cleaned the table. Just as I was finishing up, the Inn Keeper came in.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that!” She exclaimed, rushing over.

“I don’t mind. It was those guys that left their plates behind.” I trailed off and grimaced as I placed the plates in the sink.

“That’s odd.” She said, glancing at the table. “But thank you. It’s been a nightmare these past few days.”

“I’ll be around for…” a long, long time, I thought sadly to myself. “A while. If you need anything, just let me know.”

She smiled and made a sound of thanks before going to wash the dishes. I dug in, the slightly cold food still delicious. There was still some left by the time I was full, and while   
  
I hated wasting food, I dumped it into the trash and handed the plate to the Inn Keeper, who added it to the pile of dirty dishes.  
  
“The package is behind the counter. It’s for a gremlin that lives in the mountains on the outskirts of the town. If you go out the door and look to your left, it’ll be impossible to miss them. If you get lost, just ask someone. Everyone knows where he lives. He’s the local healer.” She said, placing another clean plate to the side.  
  
“Thanks for breakfast.” I grinned. “I’ll be right back.”  
  
“Take your time!” She called after me. “And stay safe! There are some dangerous people out there.”  
  
“I will!” I waved before heading back to the lobby. She was right, the package was sitting on her chair behind the counter. It was a large box, wrapped in brown fabric and tied with some twine. It wasn’t too heavy, but smelled heavily of herbs.  
  
I placed the box under my arm and headed out the door.

* * *

  
My walk through the town was nice, but was over quickly. Axel was right when he said the town itself was quite small. I kept my eyes trained on the mountains, and the closer I got, the more prominent the trail to the top became.  
  
I figured that was the path I wanted to follow, because it would make sense for the trail to the healer to be worn.  
  
As I climbed the mountain, I listened to the birds sing. After about five minutes, I realized it wasn’t just birds. There were light voices singing along with the birds, adding harmonies and lyrics to the bird songs. It was hauntingly beautiful.  
  
After five minutes of climbing the mountain, I came to a fork in the road. There was a sign, but whatever was written on it had worn away long ago. The left path was worn, but had plants growing on it, which means no one had walked that way in a long time. The right path was bumpy and uneven, making me think that was the path less traveled.  
  
I didn’t know which one to choose. Neither seemed to be the obvious path. I took a wild guess and went left, hoping that the plants were able to grow fast and cover up the footprints in a day or so. The path became narrower and rockier the farther I went, and after ten minutes I was sure I made the wrong choice.  
  
Just as I was about to turn around, I saw a cave up ahead. I crossed my fingers and prayed it was the right cave as I jogged up to the mouth.  
  
“Um, hello? Is this the Healer’s cave?” I asked, feeling silly saying those things to no one. I listened, but there was no response. Instead, I heard scuffling and a faint whimper.   
  
“Hello? I have a package for the healer that lives on this mountain?”  
  
“G-go away.” A soft voice called. I flinched, but the voice didn’t sound threatening. It sounded… scared.  
  
“I’m sorry, but I have to deliver this package. Are you… are you okay?” I asked, though I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know about the person the voice belonged to.  
  
“Who are you?” The voice asked, sounding a little bit closer this time.  
  
“I’m Emma. I’m new. The Inn Keeper in town needed some help so I offered to do odd jobs for her. Right now I’m trying to find the healer gremlin.” I responded, trying to make my voice sound as non-threatening as possible.  
  
“You smell weird.” The voice said, even closer still. He hissed his ‘s’ a little.  
  
“Yeah, I’ve gotten that once or twice.” I said, laughing a little.  
  
“You’re not one of us.” He said, sounding as if he was standing right next to me.  
  
“One of you?” I asked, trying to get the voice to talk more. Hopefully he won’t think I’m a threat.  
  
“You’re not magic.” He said. As I was about to reply, someone stepped out of the shadows. He was about my height, maybe taller. I couldn’t tell because he was hunched over. His long hair covered his eyes, and seemed to have a green shine to it. His exposed jaw and hands had small green scales, like a snake’s. “What are you?” He asked, and I could see small fangs flash when he spoke.  
  
“I’m a human.” I answered truthfully, because I didn’t feel threatened by him. He flinched and looked up quickly. I gasped, but tried to cover it. His eyes were covered by a dirty rag, which I could now see was hastily tied behind his head.  
  
“A h-human?” He repeated, taking a small step back.  
  
“But I’m not threat, I promise! I’m just trying to get by until I can go home.” I quickly reassured him. He didn’t seem any more at ease, but he didn’t move back anymore. “Are your eyes hurt?” I asked, worried about him. He was so… fragile looking. His hand shot up to his rag, but he didn’t remove it.  
  
“N-no… it’s not that.” He whispered. I could see his tongue tickle his front teeth when he spoke. It reminded me of a snake’s. “I… I’m dangerous. I can’t be around people.”  
  
“So you’re in some kind of… self-imposed isolation?” I asked, looking around the cave. Here, at the entrance, it seemed like a normal cave. Rocks and dirt and all.  
  
“I don’t want to hurt anyone ever again…” He whispered, wrapping his arms around himself. I remember what Axel told me, about a creature that was too dangerous to even talk about. But… the person in front of me seemed more afraid of himself than anything else.  
  
“What’s your name?” I asked gently.  
  
“Dane…” He almost whispered. He suddenly perked up and his face paled. “Y-you have to go.” He said frantically.  
  
“Alright, I’ll go, but can I come back later?” I asked. He seemed like someone who needed a friend.  
  
“S-sure, just go now!” He said. I could tell he was agreeing just so I would leave, but I wasn’t about to fight him on it. I turned around and started to walk away when I remember the reason I was on the mountain in the first place.  
  
“Wait, can you tell me where the healer’s cave is?” I asked, turning back to him, but he was looking down at the floor.  
  
“Who are you?” A deep voice growled from behind me. I felt my heart stop as I spun around. Standing behind me was the dragon from the town. He towered over me, his horns glinting in the light. His fangs showed through his sneer.  
  
“I’m, um, I’m Emma.” I stuttered, holding the package to my chest as if it would protect me. He looked at me with a critical eye. His eyes, by the way, had narrowed into paper thin slits.  
  
“Why are you here?” He growled, stepping closer.  
  
“Kei, d-don’t.” Dane said from behind me. “She just got lost. She isn’t like… the others.” He said, fiddling with his rag. That’s when it clicked. Kei had made a fuss about getting the rag back. Someone must have taken it as a joke because Dane wouldn’t fight back. The thought made my blood boil. How dare someone pick on someone weaker than them?  
  
“Sorry if I’m intruding. I’m trying to find the healer’s cave to deliver his box.” I said, trying to make myself seem pleasant. The last thing I wanted to do was become dragon chow. He came closer and sniffed my hair before backing up and crossing his arms.  
  
“If Dane says you’re okay, then you must be okay. I’m Kei, though I’m sure the bird brain told you plenty about me. Me and everyone else.” He said, his tone reminding me of when my friends would complain about their parents.  
  
“He didn’t say that much… though I do remember you from the market.” I couldn’t help shudder at the memory of the fangs in his dragon form’s mouth, just inches from my face. I glanced up at him and was shocked to see his face was slightly red.  
  
“Sorry ‘bout that.” He said, scratching behind his horn. “I just… get so mad when those assholes pick on Dane. They try to provoke him and I just… it pisses me off.” He growled, but apologized again when he saw me flinch. “Fuck, sorry again.”  
  
“Watch your language.” Dane said, sounding more confident with the dragon near him. He still had the blindfold on though. His other senses must be amazing.  
  
“Sorry Dane.” Kei laughed, smacking the smaller man on the back. While the smack seemed bone breaking, Dane barely flinched.  
  
“Um, it was nice meeting you both, but I really do have to deliver this package. I’m helping out at the Inn because all the other workers were called away and I should probably be getting back.” I said, not wanting to provoke them.  
  
“Oh, let me guess.” Kei huffed and shook his bangs out of his face. “Fish for brains is throwin’ a hissy fit over his pond and is making them clean it up again?”  
  
“Actually, yes,” I said, grimacing along with Dane.  
  
“Well, the healer’s cave is back the way you came. His cave is to the right at the fork.” Kei said casually, as if we were fast friends. “And if that minnow gives you any trouble, tell him you got Kei on your side. He’ll back off.” He grinned, his fangs glinting in the light.  
  
“T-thank you!” I said, shocked at the offer. “Though I think I told him off pretty well last time.” I grinned at his wide-eyed look.

“What did you say?” Dane asked, sounding equally as curious. I was suddenly embarrassed about how I reacted.  
  
“Well, he thought I was a worker and shoved some dirty towels in my face. When I went back, he asked me who I thought he was, and I told him he looked like someone who didn’t know how to wear a shirt. Then I said something about watching his attitude, because everyone around him would appreciate it.” I recapped, hoping they didn’t think poorly of me for being too sassy.  
  
Kei roared in laughter, and Dane’s hissing chuckle joined in. I couldn’t help but grin back at them. Kei wiped a theatrical tear from his eye.  
  
“That’s rich… that damn mermaid needs to be knocked down more than a few pegs.” The dragon said with a toothy grin. “You’re alright girly.”  
  
“Um, thank you!” I said, blushing a little bit.  
  
“You should stop by again someday.” Dane said quietly. “When you’re not busy, of course. I would hate to make you miss work.”  
  
“Of course I’ll come visit again.” I said, waving and heading back to the fork in the road.

* * *

  
  
A few days later I was walking through the market. The Inn Keeper had kept me busy, running errands and cleaning up rooms. This was my first real free time since coming here. I didn’t mind though, because she paid me generously.  
  
I saw a book shop, and decided to stop in. Most of the books were old, bound in leather with fading titles on the spine.  
  
“Hello missy,” said the shop owner when I walked in. He was short and round, with little horns sticking out of his hair.  
  
“Hello there.” I said with a smile.  
  
“Oh, are you the new Inn worker? I’ve seen you around town lately.” He commented from behind his counter.  
  
“That’s me.” I said, pulling a particularly interesting book from a shelf. “Do you have any fantasy books?” I asked, before I realized what I said. My face turned red and I tried to apologize, stuttering and fumbling around. The shop owner just laughed.  
  
“Ah, your dimension must be out of touch with magic.” He said with a good-natured chuckle. “Look on the back shelf, near the bottom.”  
  
I thank him and rush to the back, my face still burning. I was surprised to see some familiar titles on the shelf. I grab one of them, noting the book was well loved. It wasn’t one of my favorites, but I had a copy of it back home and enjoyed it well enough.  
  
As I walked to the counter, I saw a fairly thick book on a table. I flipped through a few pages and saw it was an encyclopedia of creatures. On a whim, I grabbed that book too.  
  
“This all you’re getting this afternoon?” He asked, placing the two books in a bag.  
  
“For today,” I said with a smile, handing the man some money. “I have to go get other things too. But I’ll definitely be back.”  
  
“See you later then!” He called as I left the shop. I was happy with my purchases, but I still needed to get some new clothes. The Inn Keeper gave me some hand me downs, but they didn’t fit right.  
  
Thankfully there was a clothing shop not far from the Inn. I spent a good chunk of what I had saved up on new undergarments and shirts and dresses. The pants that the Inn Keeper gave me fit better than anything else.  
  
As I made my way back to the Inn, I heard a commotion. I rushed back, hoping there wasn’t a fight happening. When I got in sight if the Inn, I saw it was Indra that was causing the scene. I placed my bags down by the counter and confronted him.  
  
“It’s never taken this long before and I’m desperate to get back! I’m drying out with every passing second I’m in this god forsaken town!” He yelled at the Inn Keeper, who cowered away from him.  
  
“I’m sorry sir, but you made them go back and reclean everything,” she said, trying to placate him.  
  
“Is there a problem here?” I asked, stepping in. He turned to me and his face dropped.  
  
“Oh, it’s you,” he said, a sneer on his face.  
  
“I should have known it was you making so much noise,” I said, not fazed by him in the slightest.  
  
“You aren’t part of this. Go away human.” He sneered.  
  
“I’ll just call my good friend Kei in. He should be coming around soon.” I said, grinning up at him. His face paled and he glanced at the front door.  
  
“I… I’ll just be in my room.” He said quickly. His face was that same shade of blue again. I guessed he wasn’t used to people standing up to him.  
  
“Sorry about that, Miss Emma.” The Inn Keeper apologized. “He’s usually better behaved than that.”  
  
“Look, if this takes any longer, I’ll go clean his damn puddle for him,” I said, mostly under my breath. The Inn Keeper smiled at me.  
  
“Thanks for the offer, but it should be finished sometime tomorrow. I would still like your help though, if you wouldn’t mind. You’ve been such a big help.” She asked gently.  
  
“Of course,” I said with a smile. “I like working for you. It’s a lot better than my old job. I just sat behind a desk and typed up paper work.”  
  
“Well, I see you have bags. Why don’t you go put your things away and take the rest of the afternoon off? I’m sure Mr. Axel would like a visit.”  
  
“Thanks. I think I will.” I said with a grin. I went up to my room, which was starting to look a little more lived in. My original sweatshirt was slung over the chair, and the wardrobe was open, various new clothing items shoved in. My bed wasn’t made in the slightest, because I was in charge of cleaning my own room. I even had a poster hung up. It was just a sketch of the mountains, but I thought the shading was amazing, and the artist just gave it to me. Apparently no one really appreciated his art, and me complimenting him made his day.  
  
I threw the bags on the bed and pulled out a dress. It wasn’t fancy or anything, just a knee length sun dress that cost me less than a muffin at the bakery. It was one of my favorites, mostly because it was so cheap. I grabbed my bag, which was given to me by the Inn Keeper as well. All that was in it was my purse, some napkins and snacks, but each day I find myself glad to have it.  
  
“I’m heading out,” I called to the Inn Keeper. “Is there anything you want me to pick up?”  
  
“Hmm, if it’s not too much trouble, could you pick up some eggs on the way back?” She asked, going behind her counter and pulling out a pouch. She handed me some coins, which I placed in my bag.  
  
“Yeah no problem. I don’t know when I’ll be back though.” I said, hoping she wouldn’t need the eggs soon.  
  
“That’s fine. We still have some, but we’ll be running out in the next day or so.”  
  
“Okay!” I waved to her before heading out. “I’ll be back before dark.” I headed out, pausing at the door. To the left was the mountains that Dane lived in. To the right was the forest I walked through with Axel to get to the town.

* * *

  
The path seemed familiar enough once I got going. There was even a dark mark on the ground where Chey’s prank went wrong. The walk was peaceful, the birds chirping happily. I was glad the weather decided to play nice, not too hot but not too cold.  
  
“H-help!” A voice called from a little ways away. I rushed over, ready to fight whoever I needed to. When I got there, however, there was no one to fight.  
  
It was Chey, caught in a trap and dangling upside down. His wings were fluttering frantically, but they didn’t seem to be helping in his escape. There was a large bruise on his cheek, and he looked terrified.  
  
“What happened?” I asked, rushing to his side. He swiveled to look at me, and his face broke into a relived grin.  
  
“I walked into this trap… I should have seen it but I was following a pixie and got distracted.” He said, wriggling around. I started undoing the ropes that help him in place, but most of them were knotted firmly.  
  
“What happened to your face?” I asked, grunting as a particularly tough knot came undone.  
  
“When I got caught my face slammed on the ground.” He sounded embarrassed.  
  
“Are you alright?”  
  
“Y-yeah…” he said, sounding like he was pouting. I tugged on a knot, and he yelped in pain.  
  
“Oh gosh I’m sorry!” I exclaimed, trying to be gentler.  
  
“You’re fine.” He grimaced, his reflective eyes shone more. I looked around and saw a sharp looking stick, shoving it between the knots.  
  
It took a long time, especially because I kept stabbing him and apologizing. Finally, with my arms burning, he fell free. He slammed onto the ground, and groaned.  
  
“Thanks for freeing me.” He said, rubbing his head. I knelt next to him, touching his face gently. The bruise wasn’t too bad, but the second fall caused a small cut on his forehead. He seemed shy all of a sudden, looking at the dirt.  
  
“You’re bleeding!” I exclaimed, digging through my bag and pulling out the napkins. I held it to his head, apologizing as he winced.  
  
“I’ll be fine. I heal fast!” He grinned, his sharp teeth not nearly as frightening as the first time I saw them.  
  
“Alright… ,“ I said, uncertain. I stood and brushed off my knees. “Maybe I should carry a knife in my bag,” I muttered to myself.  
  
“So where are you going?” He asked, standing as well. Did he get taller? He seemed a little bit closer to my height, but it might just be my imagination.  
  
“I was going to visit Axel. I figured I owed him an update since he did so much for me.”  
  
“Aw, old feather brain needs some company.” Chey tested his wings, buzzing them a few times before flying a few inches in the air.  
  
“Does he not get visitors?” I asked, worried about him.  
  
“Not usually.” He said, shaking some leaves from his hair. “He tends to hole himself up in the library for days on end.”  
  
“Hmm, well that’s no good.” I said, chewing on my bottom lip. Chey nodded before grinning wide. He flew at me, wrapping his arms around my neck.  
  
“Thanks for saving me again!” He said into my neck, hugging me tight. I hugged him back, wrapping my arms around his waist. He was warmer than I thought he would be, almost like he was running a fever. He pulled away and flew above my head. “I have to go now, but we should play later! We can prank the horse.”  
  
“Sounds like fun.” I said, not sure I wanted to prank Alban – who I assumed he was talking about.  
  
“Bye~” He sang before disappearing. I shook my head and continued down the path. Soon, I saw Axel’s mountain through the trees. I picked up my speed, hoping Axel had something to drink. Just as I broke through the trees, someone called my name.  
  
“Emma!” They called. I turned, confused. Alban was walking up to me, his braid swinging with the motion. He was smiling slightly, but turned it to a scowl as he got closer.   
  
“What are you doing here?” He asked, crossing his arms.  
  
“I came to visit Axel. I wanted to talk to him about how I’m settling in,” I said, still confused why he was talking to me. He made it quite clear he wasn’t fond of me when I got here.  
  
“So… so you’re settling in well?” He asked, looking at his nails.  
  
“Yeah…. I’m helping out at the Inn.” I said, my tone slightly reluctant. What was he getting at?  
  
“That’s good.” He glanced to the ground, and I couldn’t help but notice again how beautiful his eyes were.  
  
“So, why are you here?” I asked him. I remembered Axel mentioning how Alban doesn’t go to the library often. His pale face lit up bright red.  
  
“I just… I was going to… I wasn’t checking in on you. Jeez, how conceited of you to think that,” he stuttered, crossing his arms again. I realized what he was doing, and couldn’t help the giggle that slipped past my lips.  
  
“Thank you, for taking me to Axel. I don’t know what I would have done without you,” I said with a warm smile. His face was edging on purple, and his eyes were wide.

“I have to go now.” He said abruptly before turning away from me. “Take care.” He rushed out before walking away. He disappeared into the woods and I shook my head.  
I knocked on the library door and waited a few moments before opening it and stepping in. The library was cool and silent, so when I called his name, my voice echoed loudly.  
  
“Emma?” He called from the upper level. His head peered over the balcony seconds later.  
  
“Hey, Axel!” I waved.  
  
“What a nice surprise. Come on up. I can make some tea.” He said, turning back to the office. I went up the stairs to meet him.

* * *

  
“You’re back early.” The Inn Keeper commented as I walked through the front door, three crates of eggs in my hands.  
  
“I said I would be back before night,” I said with a smile.  
  
“Yes, but the sun isn’t even setting yet!” She took the eggs from me, not showing that the crates were actually quite heavy.  
  
“I had… an interesting walk over. Besides, I might use the rest of the afternoon to visit Dane.” I said, brushing my hands together to regain feeling in my fingers. The Inn Keeper almost dropped the eggs.  
  
“D-dane? The Basilisk?” She asked, her voice shaking. Her face paled. I remembered the warnings I was given about him, but my meeting erased those fears.  
  
“He’s actually not that scary. He’s more afraid of himself than you’re afraid of him. Besides, I promised I would come and visit again,”  
  
“Again?” She asked, shocked.  
  
“When I got lost on the way to the healer’s, I went to his cave instead. I met Kei too. They’re both pretty nice.”  
  
“Just… be careful.” She said, glancing at me from the corner of her eye.  
  
“I will.” I gave her a reassuring smile and headed to the stairs. Just as I was about to place my foot on the first stair, someone appeared at the top.  
  
“Human – Emma, I mean.” Indra said, bags in hand. “I would like to formally apologize for my behavior these past few days.” He said, his scaled cheeks blue again.  
  
“Apology accepted,” I said bluntly. His face colored more.  
  
“I would also like to say that… no one has ever talked to me like that before, and I commend you on that.” He tried to keep his high and mighty tone, but it was wavering. “So, if you would like, there is a position open at my table for a meal. Come and take it when you wish.”  
  
He hesitated a second longer before picking his bags up and walking past me to the counter. As I walked up the steps, I heard him talking to the Inn Keeper. I smiled as I threw myself on my bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first route chapter will be for Axel! Comment who you'd like next, or if you have any suggestions for the others!


	3. Axel Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma gets to know Axel a little more and decides how she feels about him.

“Welcome to the Inn.” I said as the door chimed. I was filling out some paper work for the Inn Keeper, so I didn’t glance up. “My name is Emma. Is there something I can help you with this afternoon?”

“Actually, I was wondering if I could borrow some of your time.” A familiar voice said. I looked up quickly and smiled. It was Axel, the griffin that showed me around when I first got here. I hadn’t seen him in weeks, life too hectic to get time together to see him.

“Axel!” I cried and rushed around the counter, throwing my arms around his broad shoulders. He just laughed and embraced me as well.

“It’s been too long.” He said, brushing some hair from my face with a gentle touch.

“I’ve been swamped here.” I said, going to finish up the paperwork. “I’m hoping to get the weekend off though.”

“Would you be able to get some time off today?” He asked, his cheeks suspiciously pink. “It’s just that, I have some plants I need to sketch and it’s such a nice day out and-”

“Let me ask.” I smiled at him and went to the kitchen. The Inn Keeper was stirring a large pot on the stove. She perked up when she saw me enter.

“You’re still here?” She asked, shocked. “I thought you took a break hours ago!”

“I wanted to finish up those papers.” I said sheepishly. “I actually came to ask if I could have the afternoon off. Axel wanted me to go with him to sketch some plants or something.” I must have blushed, because she grinned cheekily at me.

“Of course Miss Emma. You’ve been working so hard. You go have fun with Mr. Axel.” She winked and went back to stirring. I knew she meant more than just sketching flowers, but I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of seeing me get flustered.

“Thank you!” I said, bowing a little and rushed back to the lobby. “I can go! Just give me a second to change.” I told him. Axel nodded and turned back to look at the walls.

I rushed up to my room and put on one of my prettiest dresses. It had spaghetti straps and a knee-length skirt. The soft pink of the fabric make my cheeks look pinker. I brushed my hair and took a final look in the mirror. I was decent enough, but I wished I had more time to primp.

I headed back down, taking two steps at a time. When he heard my footsteps, Axel came to wait at the bottom of the staircase. When I came into view, his eyes widened a fraction. He coughed and scratched the back of his head.

“A-are you ready to go?” He asked, holding a hand out for me. I took his hand and followed him out of the Inn.

* * *

  
“According to my journals, the crystal vines should be blooming around this time, and I needed to get another sketch of the blossoms. My last journal was… ruined in a spat with Alban.” He said with a grimace. He had let go of my hand once we entered the town, but he did walk close to me.

“What did he do?” I wondered, knowing of the unicorn’s awful attitude. Axel chuckled and smiled.

“He heard I had a rare book on his kind, and when I wouldn’t let him read it, he threw a tantrum. Transformed and used his hooves to break some shelves and scratch up the floor and everything…” He made that face a teacher does when a student tries to step out of line. “It took months to rewrite everything, and even then there are certain books I wasn’t able to save.” He didn’t sound mad, but rather like someone who was told the plans they were looking forward to were cancelled. I was angry though.

“How could he do that?” I asked, outraged. Axel smiled at my spirit. “Is there anything I can do to help save some of the ones left?”

“Hmm, maybe. My eyes aren’t as good as they used to be, so maybe you can make out passages I wasn’t able to. Next time you stop by the library I’ll see if I can find them.” He adjusted his glasses as if to prove a point. I couldn’t help giggle a little.

“You make it sound like you’re in your sixties. How old are you really?” I asked, mostly for the sake of the joke, but also because I was curious about him.

“In human years? I would estimate I’m about thirty three. In griffin years I’m much older.” He said. I hadn’t thought that there would be different ages for his human and creature forms.

“Does everyone have different ages?” It would be hard to keep track of everyone if they each had two ages, then each had a different way of determining age based on their species… that would take some serious smarts.

“Yes, though they don’t tend to stray from each other very much. Every one human year is about ten for a creature, give or take a few depending on the species.” He explained, checking something in a journal that he pulled from his bag.

“So you’re over three hundred years old?” I asked, not sure how I felt about him being that much older than me. He chuckled at the horror in my voice.

“To other griffins, yes I’m over three hundred years old, but I was technically born thirty three human years ago.” That actually made me feel much better.

“How far away are these vines?” I asked, after I realized we had been walking for the better part of an hour. He glanced around and remained silent for a moment.

“…” He didn’t respond. He just looked around more. I didn’t believe it.

We were lost.

“Axel, are we-?” I was about to call him out on it, but he suddenly snapped to attention.

“The rock formation is right up ahead.” He said, nodding as if he was backing up his own statement. I smiled and followed him, trying to ignore the pain in my feet. If I had known this vine was so far away I would have worn better shoes.

We finally made it, and it was worth it. There was a large rock outcropping with thick vines growing on them. The amazing part was the blossoms growing from the vines. There were thousands of flowers on the vines, each one a perfect blossom made from what looked like crystals. They were purple in the center and turned clear as it went out, and reminded me of the glass flowers people would use as paper weights, just more delicate.

“Axel, these are beautiful.” I breathed, moving forward. I gently touched one of the petals and was shocked that it felt like a real flower. He plucked a flower from the vine and handed it to me. I carefully took it and tucked it behind my ear.

“They are quite beautiful.” He said as he pulled his journal out of his bag and started sketching. While he sketched the flowers, I went and explored. The vines only grew on the north side of the rocks, so the back was completely barren.

I was hoping to find something to show Axel, but all I found was a weird sparkling mushroom that I wasn’t sure If I could touch or not. I made my way back to the rocks, where he was still sitting in the same position as when I left.

“How’s the sketch coming?” I asked, peering over his shoulder. I could see him smile but he didn’t look up.

“It’s coming quite well. I had forgotten how detailed the petals were.” He said, tapping one of the sketches with his pencil tip.

“That’s amazing, Axel.” I breathed. His sketch looked realistic enough for me to pluck it right off the page.

“Oh, thank you. Almost all of the books in the Library are illustrated by me. I’ve always loved drawing.” He looked like a mother looking at her child. “Though art doesn’t have the same rewards as collecting the knowledge of this world.” He went back to his sketch, apparently finished talking for the time being.

I found a thick cluster of the crystal flowers and picked a few, my muscle memory kicking in. I had formed three links of a flower crown before I realized what I was doing. I glanced over at Axel and felt my heart stop.

The sun was starting to set, and the golden light was bathing the man gently. The color of the light matched the color of his hair perfectly, the feathers reflecting the sun. They reminded me of bronze. Axel’s tanned skin only looked more gold, and his face was so serene. He was absolutely breathtaking. He was still sitting cross legged in the grass, and I wondered how his legs weren’t numb by this point.

Blushing, I got back to work, tying and knotting the flower stems together. It was easy, the vines making it easy to tie without it falling apart. I finished it and took a moment to stare at the glimmering flowers. It was beautiful, the colorful crystal shimmering.

I snuck up behind Axel, who probably heard me coming but didn’t react. I placed the flower crown on his head and grinned when it fit perfectly.

“What-?” His hand found the delicate crown, and his confused look turned delighted. “Did you make this?”

“I made it just for you.” I smoothed some of his hair and moved to sit next to him. He carefully took it off and examined the knots.

“This is extraordinary. Could you teach me how to make these?” He asked, replacing the crown on his head.

“You don’t know how to make flower crowns?” I asked incredulously. “I thought you knew everything.” He turned to me and laughed warmly, closing his journal.

“I don’t know everything, though I like to think I know a little about most things. How did you get the flowers to stay together?” I couldn’t keep the silly smile from my face. I explained the process of making the crown, and how it was easier with the vines.

* * *

  
“Like this?” Axel asked, showing me a mangled string of flowers. I felt pity for the poor petals. They were so ripped up I could barely recognize them.

“You’re getting there.” I said, finishing another crown of my own. I made one for myself, one for the Inn Keeper, and a third for anyone we ran into. Axel sighed and placed the poor flower string in a pile of other desecrated crystal vines.

“I’ve always been better at knowing the process rather than actually doing the process myself.” He brushed his hands on his trousers and stood, his knees cracking loudly. “Oh my, I hadn’t realized how late it had gotten.”  
I looked up and saw he was right. The sun was almost completely set, the moon already fairly high in the sky.

“It’ll be completely dark by the time we get back.” I commented, standing and wincing as the blood returned to my legs. Axel was quiet for a moment before making a sound like he has an idea. He gathered his bag and handed it to me.

“Go stand over there.” He said, placing his glasses in the front pocket of the bag. I didn’t question him and moved to the edge of the clearing.  
A flash of colorful light filled the area, almost blinding me. When the light faded, I could barely see. When my eyes finally adjusted, I gasped.  
Where Axel was standing was now a giant bird. The griffin had to have been as tall as a horse, but twice as wide, each golden wing as long as I was. Each feather was intricately colored, the pure gold turning into a more muted gold, into a soft brown. Axel’s sharp talons dug into the soft soil, but his eyes were as soft and gently as always. He had two tufts of fur on the top of his head that reminded me of the Great Horned owls. They looked kind of like little ears. I grinned. His flower crown was slightly broken form his larger form, the flowers hanging crookedly on his bird ears.

“Come along.” He said, kneeling on the ground. I managed to climb onto his back, only kicking him in the ribs twice. “Hold onto my neck. I would be devastated if anything happened to you.” He said, standing once I was settled.

I don’t think he understood the meaning behind his words, but I did. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my fingers unable to touch under his beak. I buried my burning cheeks in his cool feathers and tried to soak in the situation.

We took off, his thunderous wings causing the loose blossoms to scatter. I could feel his muscles working under his feathers as he took off. It seemed familiar somehow. Despite Axel turning into this giant bird, this giant bird had familiar characteristics.

His shoulders shrugged in a familiar way as he flew, and his face – what I could see of it – looked like him despite the feathers and beak. His eyes and the set of his brow. It was all so familiar to me. When we settled in the air, I sat up a little more, feeling the wind blow through my hair. I remembered my crown and quickly grabbed it, trying to place it in the bag with the others.

My lessons from horse riding kicked in and I used my thighs to stay balanced. I released his neck and sat up, letting my fingers lock in his feathers. It was amazing.  
The forest whipped past under us, the trees blurring like a green sea. The sky was absolutely endless, thousands of stars twinkling from thousands of galaxies. It was so much more beautiful than back home. The light pollution and smog made it hard to see the stars, but here where there was no pollution?

Breathtaking.

I let out a loud cry, throwing my arms to the side.

“Are you alright?” Axel asked, turning his head as much as he could in griffin form.

“Axel!” I laughed as we flew through a cloud. “This is amazing!” I was sure the grin on my face was more than silly, but I couldn’t care less. His chest rumbled, and I realized he was laughing. He suddenly dipped, and I pumped my arms in the air as I whooped in joy.

I wanted to stay in the air, but soon the town came into view. He started spiraling down, touching down in a clearing on the outskirts of the buildings. I slid off his back, jarring my ankles pretty badly. I didn’t care though. My heart was racing from the thrill.

When I turned back around, Axel was in his human form again, brushing off the front of his jacket. I went over to him and handed him his glasses as well as the spare crown. He glanced up and smiled, taking the crown first then his glasses.

“I should have asked if you got air sick before we took off.” He said, sending me an apologetic look.

“Air sick? That was the most amazing thing ever!” I couldn’t help but spin in circles, laughing and skipping. There was too much adrenaline in my system then to be calm. I spun right into his chest, and he had to hold me tight to keep me from falling over.

“I’m glad to hear that.” He said, smiling down at me. I pressed my hands against his chest and smiled.

“Thank you, Axel.” I knew my eyes were scrunching, but I was too happy to care.

“For what?” He asked, widening his eyes behind his glasses.

“For everything! For helping me when I first got here. For taking me out tonight… it was so amazing.” There could have been stars in my eyes for all I knew. He stared at me, and I was worried my hair was a mess. I reached up smooth it, but he caught my hand.

“Don’t.” He said before backtracking. “I mean, it looks nice, all swept to the side like that. Makes it look like you were just on an epic adventure.”

“Well, I was.” I didn’t pull my hand away.

“That wasn’t an epic adventure.” He snickered and took my other hand in his. “I could tell you about some epic adventures, if you’d like.”

“I would love that.” I said quietly, feeling that talking too loud would ruin the moment. He leaned in a little.

“You should stop by the library. It gets quite lonely there sometimes.” He was just as quiet. I felt myself leaning in too, just a fraction.Suddenly he pulled away, straightening his crown with a blush.

“I should get you back. I wouldn’t want to worry the Inn Keeper.” His tone turned business-like again, and I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.

“That’s a good idea. Thanks for making sure I behave.” I giggled, my mind automatically going to something that wouldn’t quite count as behaving. My face lit up. He took his bag and draped it over his shoulder before putting an arm out for me.

I took his arm and walked with him into town, feeling on top of the world. The walk to the Inn was too short, and too soon he gently took his arm from me. The second he took a step back I missed his warmth.

“Good night, Emma.” He said, bowing slightly from the waist. I giggled and curtsied.

“Good night, Axel.” I replied. He hesitated before leaning in quickly and placing a light peck on my cheek. He bowed again and left, his shoes clicking on the paving stones. I went into the Inn, my face on fire. I figured I would sneak upstairs to my room unnoticed, but as soon as I closed the door behind me the light flicked on.

The Inn Keeper was sitting on the steps, grinning at me.

“It’s quite late, Miss Emma.” She said cheerfully. “Was your date nice?” My face lit up.

“D-date?” I spluttered. “It wasn’t a date. He just wanted some company while he finished some work.” I remembered the crown I made for her and held it out. Her eyes widened as she took it, turning the blossoms over in her hands.

“Are these crystal vine flowers?” She asked, awed. I nodded.

“So? Those were the flowers he had to study.”

“Don’t you know the meaning behind crystal flowers?” She asked, staring at the delicate petals almost lovingly. “Since they only bloom once every ten years, you’re supposed to give them to the person you want to spend the next ten years of your life with. Then when they bloom again you repeat the ritual.”

“Spend my life with?” I squeaked, realizing what I had done. If Axel knew the connotations then… “He gave me one first, though.” I blurted out.  
The Inn Keeper stared at me before squealing. She jumped up and grabbed my hands, jumping around.

“Oh Miss Emma! Do you know what this means?”

“I really don’t know!” I said, being forced to jump with her. She was incredibly strong despite only being about five foot two.

“It means Mr. Axel has feelings for you! Strong ones at that.” She grinned wide. I let that sink in. Axel liked me? I dropped my hands and fell silent.

“I need to go to sleep. Goodnight.” Before she could say anything else, I ran up to my room and closed the door tightly.  
Axel liked me? I laid on my bed and relived our outing. How gently he talked to me. How he looked at me. How he let me ride on his back…

I shoved my face in my pillow and screamed.

Did I like him back? I mean, today was amazing. It was so nice to spend time with him, and I was sad when he had to leave. I screamed into my pillow again.

I think I liked Axel too.

* * *

  
I woke up the next morning to chimes coming from the bathroom. I had stayed up almost until daybreak, stressing over what to do about Axel. I groggily stumbled into the bathroom, staring with mounting horror at my toilet.

The lid was shaking gently, the chimes continuing. I could have placed something heavy on the lid and ran, but something told me to open it. I threw the lid open and jumped back, waiting for some water monster to jump out and eat my face.

“Emma?” A familiar voice said. It made my heart skip a beat.

“Axel?” I exclaimed, peering over the edge of the toilet. And there he was, in all his glory, looking up at me from my toilet. “What the hell?”

“What the hell what?” He asked, shocked at the tone of my voice.

“Why are you in my toilet?” I asked, the shock wearing off and the irritation growing. He looked equally as shocked.

“The toilet?” His voice went up an octave in confusion. A split second later, realization smoothed his features. “Did you not fill the basin in your room?” He asked with a faint smile. I glanced around the room but didn’t see a basin.

“What are you talking about?”

“Look under your bed. That’s usually where they’re stored when not in use.” He said, his voice muffled from the other room. I did as he suggested and was shocked to see a dusty basin under the bed. I pulled it out and blew off the dust.

“What’s this for?”

“Water messages. I told you about them a few weeks ago.” He said again. I remember faintly and blushed. I moved back to the bathroom.

“Well, I found the basin.” I said awkwardly. “What do I do with it?”

“You fill it with water and place it on the table. Then people can call you.” He chuckled at the confusion that must have been written all over my face.

“And since I didn’t have this set up, the nearest flat surface of water was the toilet…” I connected the dots with a blush. How embarrassing… Axel gave a good natured laugh.

“I was calling to ask if you’d like to join me for breakfast. I managed to find some of the ruined journals, if you’d like to take a look at those too.”

“I’d love to! I’ll have to ask for more time off though.” I frowned, already guilty for leaving yesterday.

“Are you alright?” He asked, concern coloring his words. “You’re looking pale.” His worry made my chest constrict. I didn’t know what to say so I made up some dumb cover.

“It’s just the lighting from the bathroom. Don’t worry. I’m fine.” I gave him a soft smile, which he returned.

“Alright. Let me know if you can make breakfast.” He waved and I waved back, letting out a loud sigh when the water went blank. What was I going to do?

* * *

  
“Of course you can go!” The Inn Keeper cried, sounding almost offended that I thought I wouldn’t be allowed to leave. “You’ve been working so hard these past few weeks.”

“You seem awfully eager to get me out of the Inn.” I said with a suspicious look. She just smiled innocently and went back to cooking. “I don’t know when I’ll be back. Will you be okay until them?”

“I managed the Inn before you got here, and I do still have other employees. You have the right to happiness.” She said, drying her hands on her apron with a wink. I shot her a playful – and only slightly disgruntled – look and went back to my room.

I fetched the basin and filled it in the sink. It took a few minutes to fill, and a few more to settle completely. I held my hand over the water, feeling kind of ridiculous.

“Axel.” I said strongly, not sure if I could send a water message. I wasn’t magic, so I might not be able to do something as simple as this.

“Ah, I’m glad to see you can send messages.” Axel’s voice came from the basin. I grinned wide, proud of myself for accomplishing something so mind-blowing. I’m using magic. To talk through water. I smiled at him.

“I wasn’t sure I would be able to. I’m just a human, so I didn’t know if I had any magic in me.” I said, puffing my chest out proudly. He looked just as proud.

“Of course you have magic in you. I just have to look in your eyes to see a spark.” His words sent shivers down my spine.

“A-anyway. I called to tell you that I got off for the morning, so I can come for breakfast.” I told him, feeling myself smile at his expression. It was if I told him the best news in his life.

“That’s wonderful! I’ll prepare some tea along with it.” He sounded so excited, and I couldn’t help feeling the same.

“I’ll head out soon. I’ll try to be there before ten, but who knows who I’ll run into.” I said fondly. I felt a sudden stab of guilt. I hadn’t visited Axel in the past few weeks, but I hadn’t visited anyone else either. I had promised Dane I would come back. Maybe I should send him a message when I got back, so he didn’t think I forgot about him.

“I’ll see you soon.” His eyes glistened as he smiled, and after he closed the connection I had to sit on my bed and get my heart beat under control again. I dressed and grabbed my bag before heading out. The anticipation of seeing Axel after realizing how I felt made my stomach turn.

The walk was calm, calmer than any of the others times. I didn’t run into anyone, even though I could have sworn I heard Chey’s cackle not far from the path. By the time the library came into view, I was about to turn around and head back to the Inn.

I couldn’t remember the last time I felt butterflies like this. I held my hand up to the door, about to knock, I hesitated. Could I really do this?

“Emma?” The door opened and my hand fell by my sides. Axel was wearing a turtle neck sweater and slacks, his hair slicked back as impeccable as ever. “Please come in. I was just finishing up the breakfast.”

“Good morning Axel.” I said, wincing at the slight stutter in my voice. “Thanks for inviting me.” I followed him in, noticing how his wings were folded carefully against his back. I also noticed how soft the feathers looked. I wondered how soft they would actually be if I were to run my fingers along them-

“-Emma?” He caught my attention, raising one eyebrow at me. “Are you alright? You sound a little… shaky.” I felt my face heat up.

“I-I-I’m good!” I stuttered out. I saw the corner of his mouth turn up and I thought I would actually combust.

“Maybe hot tea isn’t the best right now. I can see if I have any lemonade…” He trailed off, hiding a smile behind a hand.

“It’s fine.” I smiled back, my heart fluttering. I was screwed, wasn’t I? I followed him up the stairs into his study and expected to sit in the same seat as before. He surprised me by leading me through another doorway. I never noticed it, even though it was right there on the right wall. He led me down a hallway, and I had to force myself to not stop and look at all the pictures on the walls. I caught a few familiar faces in passing, but they seemed much younger than the ones I knew.

Axel led me into his kitchen, which was much different than I expected. I guess the hallway led back into the mountain, because the walls were made of polished stone. The furnishings all matched, in various shades of black, white and grey.

The counters were black granite and the cabinets were steel grey. The rest of the appliances were oddly modern. Silver fridge and microwave, the sink shiny and spotless.

“Here, sit at the island. I’ll get the food ready.” He said, gesturing to the tall counter with stools. I pulled one out, expecting to hear the feet scrape on the stone but was pleasantly surprised to hear nothing.

“I didn’t think you’d have this kind of kitchen.” I said without thinking. He placed a plate in front of me, the smell of bacon and eggs smacking me in the face.

“Yes, well, I didn’t design it.” He said, sounding amused and resigned. “My… friend made everything based off what she believed was ‘modern designs’.” He chuckled and shook his head, pouring a glass of something brownish into a glass.

“How long ago was this?” I asked. The kitchen did look modern, but it also looked well loved, as if he had been using it for years. He cocked his head to the side as he thought.

“It’s hard to tell. Time is a tricky thing. I’d say one… maybe two hundred years ago?” He shrugged and placed a glass in front of me. I choked on a forkful of eggs and spent the next few seconds desperately trying to breathe again.

“Was your friend a time traveler?” I asked, reaching for the glass.

“In a sense, I guess you could call her that.”

“Why does it always sound like you’re dancing around the truth?” I took a sip and realized it was iced tea. I guess he was serious about cold drinks. He made a noise that I could have sworn was a snort, but the Axel I knew was too refined for that.

“I do sound like that sometimes, don’t I?” He mused, shaking his head.

“Yes, yes you do.” I laughed and took a bite of bacon. Axel took his own plate and sat next to me, angling his stool so we were almost facing each other.

We ate in a comfortable silence, every once in a while making a comment here and there.

“So I told him that he could shove his chivalry down the drain.” I laughed, recalling the last guy who thought I was a damsel in distress character. We had finished breakfast a while ago and were reminiscing about our pasts.

“I could never see you being treated like a lesser being.” He said, shaking his head. He pushed his glasses back up his nose and fixed their position. He caught my eye and held it. We stared at each other for the longest moment before he broke away, coughing and picking up the empty plates from the counter.

“Well, I don’t know about this world or whatever you refer to it as, but where I come from women aren’t really treated well.” I said with a grimace that could be heard in my voice. Axel placed the dishes in the sink and came back over, his brows slightly furrowed.

“Why would anyone treat someone like you so awful?” He asked, sounding shocked. I sighed.

“I wish I knew Axel. Maybe then we could fix society.” I felt my face fall for a second but when I realized, I perked right up. “Good thing I’m here and not there!” I gave a weak chuckle.

Axel came over to me and placed a finger under my chin, gently making me look him in the eye.

“There’s no reason to be upset over what other humans do. If you are content with what you have done, then there is nothing to worry about.” He smiled at me, his eyes crinkling a little in the corners. I felt my heart flutter. He was very handsome, but I doubted he realized it.

“Axel?” I asked, getting his attention. He hummed, encouraging me to go on. “Could you teach me some magic?” His eyes widened a fraction but his grin told a different story.

“Of course. I’m always willing to fill an eager mind. Come, I’ll see what we can start with.” He strode out of the kitchen and I jumped off the stool after him, the prospect of learning magic making my blood fizz.

* * *

  
“Try it again.” Axel said patiently. He was trying to teach me how to levitate a piece of paper, and after two hours of no success I was about to call the water message a fluke.

“I’ve tried it again!” I exclaimed, looking at the paper like it flipped me off. “And again, and again-” I gave a frustrated screech, throwing my hands in the air. The piece of paper fluttered and I froze.

“Very good.” He said, not acknowledging my freak out at all. “Try again, but try to keep in it the air.”

“Wait, I did it?” I asked, staring at the paper that had settled on the table again as if it had never left the surface. “That was me?”

“Yes, that was you.” He said with a smile. “I knew you could do it.” I beamed and turned back to the paper. I concentrated and did what Axel told me to do. I imagined a swirling vortex in my chest, dancing and spinning wildly. I imagined a sliver of the vortex reaching out to the paper, coaxing it off the table.

Slowly, the paper began to rise. I was already ecstatic about Axel’s praise, but seeing the paper levitate sent a bolt of pride through me. I was actually doing it! The paper shot into the air and started spinning around like it was trapped in a hurricane.

“Now try setting it down gently.” He suggested, his eyes trained on me rather than the paper. I furrowed my eyebrows and I may have stuck my tongue out as I concentrated on bringing it back down. It spun down, sometimes falling fast and sometimes barely falling at all. Eventually it hit the table without a sound.

In an instant, I had my arms thrown around Axel’s neck. I had to jump up, and he instinctively caught me, his own arms wrapping around my waist. I laughed into his neck, feeling myself tear up a little at how happy I was.

“I did it! I did real magic!” I exclaimed, burying my face in his neck more. My arms tightened around him as he set my feet on the ground. Neither of us let go of the other for a moment. He stepped back first, coughing and hiding brilliant red cheeks behind his glasses.

“Yes you did!” He said, his voice telling you he was trying to keep a steady tone.

“Let’s do it again!” I jumped over to the table, only to have the room spin. A warm hand came down on my shoulder, steadying me.

“How about we rest?” He suggested. “All magic comes from a source, and you used your own life force just now. Next I think we’ll work on borrowing from your surroundings.”

I tried to follow him, but taking a step was suddenly the hardest thing to do. I was about to say something about it when Axel scooped me up in his arms. He hoisted me up as if I weighed nothing, and my arms instantly went around his neck to steady myself.

“Come on Emma. You can rest in my bed. It’ll take a little time to regain your energy.” His gait was smooth and I could feel myself drifting off in his arms.

* * *

  
“Axel!” I rushed over to the Griffin, who was sitting in the shade, nose buried in a book. He looked up and smiled at me. I had been practicing making sparks and fireworks. It wasn’t really important magic, but it made me feel special that I was able to conjure sparks from my fingers. “Look at this!”

I made a rose of sparks appear over my hand, the lights dancing and jumping to look like the flower was alive.

“That’s amazing progress!” He exclaimed, closing his book and standing. “Did you practice taking from your surroundings?”

“It’s harder to do that.” I muttered, letting the rose disappear.

“I know it is.” He smiled warmly. “But it’s better than letting your own energy run out.”

“You’re right…” I grumbled, looking away. I could feel him smiling at me, and I couldn’t help the grin that turned my own mouth up.

“Are you free for dinner tonight?” He asked, sounding a little off. I looked at him, squinting as he looked anywhere but me.

“I should be-” I tried to respond before a loud noise interrupted me. It sounded like flapping wings, and it was getting closer. The sun was blotted out by a figure flying across the sky. The shadows prevented me from seeing who it was, but I could tell their wings were feathered.

Axel cursed under his breath and I was shocked to hear the usually so put together man swear. He was instantly on edge, shoving me behind him as the figure landed.

It was another man, just as tall and broad as Axel. The man had brilliant red hair and piercing green eyes, his wings dark browns and blacks. He had an old looking scar across his left eye, but a grin that seemed young. He was wearing long pants and a button up shirt with a beaten up vest over top. It looked a little bulgy, but it may have been his muscles.

“Axel, my dear old friend. It seems domestic life suits you.” The man said, his voice gravelly with a hint of an accent that I couldn’t place.

“Fen, here I was hoping we would never cross paths again.” Axel said, sounding collected as always. But I could see the tenseness in his shoulders.

“Now is that anyway to greet a pal?” Fen asked, taking a step forward. Axel took a step back.

“Well, if a friend was here I would greet him accordingly. Unfortunately, we’re not friends.” His voice was steely. Fan’s face turned feral.

“That’s not what I remember,” he said, grinning. “We used be to quite close, didn’t we A?”

“Don’t call me that,” Axel ground out, stepping in front of me more.

“Aw, don’t be like that. I’m actually here for a reason.” Fen pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and threw it at Axel’s feet. He bent down to pick it up without breaking eye contact with the other Griffin. He only glanced away to read the paper, and I could see him pale.

“So that’s what this is about,” he said quietly, folding the paper back up and placing it in his pocket. “Well I can assure you I won’t try to take your place. I have no interest in this.” He grabbed my hand and moved towards the library.

Fen’s large wing opened, blocking the way. He shook his head and made a tsking sound.

“Sorry Axel. That’s not how things work.” Fen pulled out two knives, one from each side of his vest. He unfurled his other wing and threw himself at Axel, who wasn’t fast enough to completely avoid the attack. A sliver of red appeared on his upper arm as he grabbed me around the waist and took off. I scrambled to hold on, but I knew he would never drop me.

We flew straight to the library, practically flying into the building itself. He threw his hand out and the locks clicked loudly. I could feel the magic crackling in the air as every window in the library locked.

“Axel, are you going to explain what just happened?” I asked, slightly breathless. I had never seen the man so worked up. He ran a hand through his normally neat hair, messing it up and causing him to look even more ragged.

“It’s… a long story.” He sighed, still obviously on edge.

“You’re bleeding!” the red caught my eye and made my stomach drop. It hadn’t looked too bad back in the clearing but after the flying and the magic, his whole sleeve was stained crimson. “Come on, I’ll patch you up and you can tell this long story.” He didn’t fight me.

I brought him into the kitchen, his house familiar to me after the past few weeks of training and sharing meals. He stumbled into a stool and sat heavily. I turned on the sink, waiting for it to warm. I went over to Axel and helped him shrug off his jacket. His shirt was ruined, but I vaguely though about trying to fix his jacket. I felt bad for noticing how muscular his arms and torso were. It wasn’t the time for those kinds of thoughts.

He groaned as the fabric pulled at the wound but other than that he didn’t make a sound. I filled a bowl with the warm water and grabbed a hand towel. I carefully dabbed at his arm, wincing myself every time he flinched.

“Fen was a childhood friend,” he said after a few moments of silence. I didn’t say anything but slowed my dabbing slightly. “We were two of the four boys in the roost. Even back then Griffins weren’t very common. Griffin children are rare and special, raised to pass down the honor and history of our kind to the next generation.

“There was… we don’t even know what happened. Less and less of the older generation came back from their flights, and competition for mates became fierce. Males would kill each other for a mate which made the population drop even more. “

“Why did Fen come here?” I asked, moving to the sink and pouring the cloudy red water down the drain.

“The last female Griffin has come of age, and as the last two males Fen and I are to duel to become her mate.” He sighed, pinching the skin between his eyes with his good hand. I felt my heart fall to my stomach, but tried not to let it show.

“Are you going to fight him?” My voice only shook a little.

“There’s a medical kit under the sink in the bathroom.” He said, his words tired. “And… I don’t know. I’m not prepared for a duel. I haven’t been keeping up with my fighting skills. I’ve been so focused on the library… but it’s expected of me. It’s part of the honor code.”

I had never heard Axel sound so conflicted. He was always so confident in his knowledge and decisions. I’ve never seen him so vulnerable. I didn’t say anything, thinking over what he said as I taped the gauze to his arm.

“You don’t have to fight him.” I said quietly.

“Don’t I?” he asked, more to himself than to me.

“You don’t.” I said, with more conviction. He smiled without humor.

“Thank you, dear Emma. You have been a joy to have around. I’m sorry these sessions of ours will be cut short.” He stood, grabbing his shirt and throwing it in the trash.

“Wait, what?” I jumped up, rushing over to him. “You’re stopping our lessons?” I asked, desperate to keep him in my life.

“I’m sorry,” was all he said as he walked through the doorway, leaving me in the kitchen with a breaking heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second part coming soon.


	4. Axel Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conflict with Fen is worked out, but now Emma has a conflict of her own. Will she stay or find a way home?

Axel wouldn’t answer my water messages the next day. He wouldn’t answer the door when I knocked. He had never shut me out like this.

“Axel! Answer the door!” I knocked again, louder and harder. Still nothing.

“He’s hiding, huh?” A voice said behind me. I spun around and saw Fen standing a few feet behind me, leaning against a tree. His hair was pulled back into a small ponytail, causing the scar on his face to stand out even more. I felt a flare of anger shoot through me.

“This is all your fault.” I said, storming towards him. Axel and I had a great relationship. Things between us were getting close, and the thought of never seeing him again made my eyes water. Fen had the decency to look shocked.

“Excuse me?” He asked, pushing himself off the tree and walking towards me. I noticed he didn’t keep his wings tucked tightly against his back like Axel, but rather left them slightly open as if he was ready to take off at any time.

“If you hadn’t showed up, things would still be normal. Axel would still be teaching me and we would have gone to dinner last night and he wouldn’t have locked me out of the library!” I was ready to fight the Griffin myself.

“Listen here little lady, this is between us. You have no right to interfere.” He wasn’t looking at me. He was staring up at the top of the mountain, squinting into the sun.

“No right?” I sputtered out, eyebrows raised almost to my hairline.

“You heard me. A human has no place in the life of a Griffin.” He sniffed and shaded his eyes with his hand. “No place in this world, if I’m being honest.”

“Listen here-” I prepared to snap when the library door squeaked open. I turned and felt my pulse speed up.

Axel stepped out of the library, but it wasn’t the Axel I knew and loved. He was dressed in what looked like leather armor, brass buckles shining in the light. He had twin swords strapped to his waist and his eyes were hard as stone.

He scared me.

“Let’s finish this, Fen,” he said, no emotion in his voice. I missed the warmth and love that he used to talk to me with.

“I thought you wouldn’t show.” Fen grinned wolfishly and unsheathed his knives. I barely had enough time to duck out of the way before the two were flying at each other.

The sound of metal hitting metal caused my ears to ring painfully. I could tell Axel was strong, but Fen was stronger. Axel was fast, but Fen was faster.  
Axel swung his sword, the blade heading right for Fen’s throat. The redhead shot up into the air like a rocket and looped around before landing heavily behind Axel. Just as his knife was about to plunge into Axel’s spine, he flicked his wings out, knocking Fen back a step. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to roll away.

Axel stood, panting slightly. Neither had drawn blood yet, but from where I was hiding by the trees I knew neither would stop until one was dead.

Fen took off, his eyes aimed right on Axel’s face. He attacked again and again, his smaller knives held less resistance as they swung through the air. Axel tripped on an exposed root just as a knife was coming for him. Instead of hitting his armor, the edge sliced his face, causing red to drip into Axel’s eyes. Fen saw his chance and lunged.

He threw his knives aside as large talons ruptured from his hands. He swiped with a ferocity that made my own blood run cold. Axel dodged as best as he could, but Fen was too fast. Fen landed blow after blow, making shallow cuts all over his body. Axel was drenched in blood, but still fighting strong.

Axel caught Fen’s talons against the edge of his blade, the crash echoing on the trees. The scholar managed to land a blow on Fen’s side, causing the unprotected Griffin to yell in pain. He fell back, clutching his side.

“You fight pretty good for a bookworm.” Fen panted, circling Axel.

“And you fight quite well for a runt.” Axel spit out the words. Fen’s eyes flashed and a ripping sound filled the area. Fen had turned into his Griffin form, the dark browns and blacks of his feathers blended in with the forest behind him. In griffin form, Fen was smaller than Axel.

Axel wasted no time, transforming himself. His armor was cast aside as his body twisted and changed. Despite not seeing any of his familiar human features, Axel’s eyes never changed, no matter what form he was in.

Fen charged at Axel, his talons aimed for his chest. Axel reared up and locked talons with Fen, forcing the smaller to the ground. Axel shot his beak out, latching on to Fen’s shoulder. Blood sprayed the grass as the smaller struggled to escape.

Fen’s wings shot out, causing Axel to lose his balance and fall to the side. Fen shot out and pinned the larger to the ground, his talons gripping Axel’s shoulders painfully.

Axel cried out, but it sounded more like a caw than a cry. Despite Fen’s blood loss, he clearly had more strength left than Axel. He dragged his talons across Axel’s chest, feathers and blood splattering around. Axel cried out again, struggling under Fen.

I hid behind the tree, tears streaming down my face. I wanted to help but there was nothing I could do against two full-grown griffins. I saw Axel still under Fen and my blood ran cold. Wit wide eyes, I watched Fen raise a hand, aimed to stab Axel right in the chest.

The roaring in my ears stopped completely. I couldn’t hear anything as I watched Fen’s arm raise slowly. My chest began to burn but I felt nothing but calm. I stepped out from behind the tree, Fen’s arm still moving upward. Why was he moving so slowly?

Axel wasn’t moving.

The burning in my chest escaped, more than just a tendril of it reaching for Fen. My magic slammed into the smaller Griffin so hard he flew into the wall of the library, shattering the windows. I was a storm, but I felt nothing.

My hair was flying around me as if I was trapped in a wind storm. I stared Fen down as he stood, shaking off the debris. He stared at me, his bird features slack in shock and pain.

I flung my arm out again and he flattened as if a boulder crushed him. He struggled to look up at me as I walked closer. I stood right in front of him, my eyes burning holes in his feathers. He looked scared.

I raised my hand again, the rage boiling inside of me so painfully that I wanted to destroy him. Just as I was about to bring my hand down I heard a sound behind me. Without turning my torso, I glanced over my shoulder and saw a very human Axel lying in the dirt, blood pooling around him. Suddenly, everything came crashing back.

The magic around me disappeared instantly, my panic rushing back all at once. I fell to my knees as Fen turned back as well. Both men stayed motionless on the ground, panting and wincing with every breath. The air broke.

I ran over to Axel, skidding to my knees as I fell by his side. He was breathing, thankfully, but there was so much blood. His hair was drenched, his clothing destroyed.

“A-axel? Axel, can you hear me?” I asked, my voice shaking. He murmured something but I couldn’t understand him. I struggled to my feet and tried to help him up, but I was so much smaller than him and I just wasn’t strong enough to lift him.

I reached into my magic, just like he showed me. I thought back to my lesson on levitating the piece of paper and put my hand out. Axel’s body lifted from the blood stained grass, floating a foot above the ground.

I silently moved him inside, barely remembering the other Griffin in the yard. I brought him into the main library, not having enough strength to bring him up the steps. Half the library was in shambles, broken glass and scattered books covered the tile flooring. Thankfully, the other half was untouched. I placed Axel on one of the couches he had between each bookshelf.

Exhausted as I was, I knew I couldn’t pass out yet. I stumbled back into the yard and did the same with Fen, who was unconscious. He was placed on the couch next to Axel. I forced myself to go to the bathroom and get the medical kit as well as a bowl of water with a rag.

I thought back to yesterday, when I was cleaning up Axel’s arm. I peeled off his shirt and saw his bandage was still in place from before. I cleaned off his wounds, feeling myself become nauseous as his blood soaked into my shirt. It took the better part of the hour to clean him off, and another to patch all the gouges. I wasn’t sure how to tell if a cut needed stitches, but I figured as long as it was clean and covered it wouldn’t be too bad.

His chest was the worst, the gouges gushing blood at a scary rate. I filled the wounds with gauze, hoping to stop the bleeding as I moved over to the other griffin. He was just as bad, the wound in his side dripping onto the floor. I did the same with Fen, filling the wound in hopes to prevent any more blood loss.

Using the last of the gauze, I wrapped Axel’s chest and Fen’s side. Both men were unconscious, but I was happy to see they were sleeping more than knocked out. I gathered the bloody rags in my arms and moved to the steps, thinking I would wash them out in the sink when the world went black.

* * *

  
I woke up in a bed, the blankets warm around my freezing body. I sat up, but the world spun so intensely that I fell back into the bed. I took in my surroundings as best I could.

I was in Axel’s bed, the sun setting through the large windows. I tied sitting up again, more successful that time. I stood and slowly made my way back downstairs, making sure to rest when I became too dizzy.

There were voices coming from the main library. Axel and someone talking too low for me to hear. I stood by the doorframe of his study, listening down to their conversation.

“I didn’t know you already had a mate,” Fen said, sounding faint.

“I tried to tell you, but you were too wrapped up in your pride to listen,” Axel said, sounding tired.

“I’m sorry, A… I almost killed you.”

“And I suppose I’m also sorry. We shouldn’t be fighting.”

I decided to make myself known, what Fen said rattling through my head. I coughed lightly and made my way down the stairs. Axel was by my side within moments, holding my arm and guiding me to the main floor.

When I finally got a good look at both the griffins, I saw they were worse for wear. The cut on Axel’s cheek had healed but there was a wicked scar going across his cheekbone.

He moved stiffly, his shoulders hunched.

When Fen saw me, he dropped to his knees.

“I’m so sorry. I never had any intention of hurting Axel’s mate. Had I known he had already chosen I never would have caused this mess…” he bowed his head, his hair covering his face.

“What are you going to do now?” I asked, too tired to push the fact that he almost killed Axel over a misunderstanding.

“I guess I’ll go back and tell the truth. They expected me to kill Axel, but I couldn’t do it. Even when I had him pinned, I couldn’t make the final strike.” His head hung. His nose practically touched the floor. “I won’t be bothering you again.”

“Fen… you’re always welcome in my home,” Axel said, his voice soft and warm and just as I remembered it. Fen’s head shot up so fast he fell backward a little bit.

“But-” He looked more than shocked.

“But nothing. You’re my brother, and we’re all we have. Bring your mate by when you’re settled. I don’t want to be separate from my kind anymore,” Axel said, holding a hand out. Fen hesitated, his eyes moving from his outstretched hand to his face. Finally, he took the offered hand. Axel hauled him to his feet.

“Thank you, Axel’s mate. For patching me up and all,” Fen said, turning to me.

“My name is Emma.” I said, accepting his thanks. Now that he wasn’t out for blood, I could see a gentleness in his eyes.

“Well miss Emma, until we meet again,” he said, turning back to Axel. He held his arm out at a ninety degree angle. Axel did the same and they clasped hands. Fen grinned and left the library, the sound of wings telling us he left.

“Emma… I’m so sorry you were dragged into this,” he started. He saw me about to interrupt but continued anyway. “But thank you, for saving me. Without you I would have died.”

“I couldn’t just sit there and watch you get killed.” I said, horror coloring my tone. “When I saw Fen pin you to the ground, I thought my heart was going to stop.”

“I’m sorry…” He said again, but I wasn’t sure for what.

“How long was I asleep?” I asked, figuring it was the same day. Axel looked slightly uncomfortable.

“Three days.” He said, almost reluctantly. “Griffins heal quickly, but our wounds were quite severe. Even now I am not completely recovered.”

“Three days?” I asked, shocked. Then I realized what he said. “Are you okay?” He chuckled lightly and winced.

“I’m fine. Someone cleaned and bandaged my wounds, so they’re healing much nicer than with magic alone.” There was a twinkle in his eyes.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.” I said sadly.

“Do more?” He repeated, his voice raising in volume. “You saved my life. That’s not something Griffins take lightly.”

“But-” I tried, but he interrupted me in a way I least expected.

Axel kissed me gently, bending down to meet my mouth. My mind went blank and I leaned into it; my stomach felt like there were fire crackers going off. His hands rested on my sides, respectfully staying put.

I pulled away first, not sure how to react. He smiled down at me and ran a hand through his hair.

“No buts. You are my mate, and I owe you my life.” He leaned down, but this time he gently kissed me on the forehead. “You are very, very important to me.”

“I’m your mate?” I asked, wanting to clarify. He nodded, serious as ever.

“I should have asked you, but I couldn’t help it. I marked you as my mate a few weeks ago… when I realized I couldn’t live without you.”

“You can’t live without me?” I asked, still barely believing that Axel of all people would feel that way about me.

“I love you, Emma.” He said, pulling me into a tight hug. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him close, drinking in his heart beat. We stayed that way for a few moments before he let me go and doubled over.

“Are you okay?” I asked, worried.

“Just… my chest…” He gestured to his torso and took a deep breath. Glancing down, he saw the wound bleeding through the bandaging. “Could you help me with this?” he asked sheepishly. I smiled warmly and helped him to the bedroom.

* * *

  
“Dear, can you pass the milk?” Axel asked one morning. We were sitting at the island, eating breakfast. After I told the Inn Keeper what happened, she told me I didn’t have to work at the Inn anymore since I was moving in with the Griffin. She told me she would call me if she needed an extra hand, though.

“Here you go.” I handed it to him, careful not to spill any. “Do you have any plans for today?”

“Not for today. Tomorrow, I’m supposed to be helping a goblin with a magic problem, but today I have no plans.” He smiled warmly at me, only to have his smile drop when he caught my expression. I hopped off the stool leaving my bowl behind and took his hand.

“Come on Axel. I want to try something.” I said, pulling him out of the kitchen. We made it to the bedroom before I lost my control. As soon as the door closed I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

Since Fen left, we had kissed several times, but we never went any further.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me in close to him. As he kissed me, I messed with the buttons of his shirt. He pulled back slightly, confusion written on his face.

“Are you sure you want to…?” He trailed off, not sure how to proceed.

“I really do.” I said with what I hoped was a seductive smirk. His face flushed and I knew I had him.

He kissed me again, deeper this time. One hand held my lower back while the other worked the buttons on his shirt. The scars on his chest had faded slightly, but they were still very prominent on his tan skin. I pulled my own shirt off, tossing it off to the side.

He blew air through his teeth as he looked at me, his face flushing even more. His hands gently caressed my bare sides and stomach, as if he were afraid to hurt me. I resisted the urge to shake my head and undid my bra clasp, letting it fall away.

The look on his face was worth the wait. His eyes grew wider than I had ever seen them and his jaw fell slack.

“You’re so beautiful,” he breathed as he kissed my neck. “I love you.” He kissed down my shoulder.

“Axel…” I gasped as he kissed down my stomach. He pulled away briefly to look me in the eye.

“I’ll only go as far as you are comfortable with. I will not push you.” He said, his voice somber and serious. I gestured for him to come back up and kissed him hard.

“Do whatever you want.” I said into the kiss and grinned as I felt him shudder. He went back down and kissed my inner thighs, causing my breath to hitch a little.

I never knew it felt like this. Axel kept his promise, being careful and gentle all the way through. I was always told it would hurt, but I didn’t feel anything but happiness. He held me close as he got wilder and wilder. He never hurt me, but he showed his affections and needs.

“Axel!” I cried out, digging my nails into his sides. His wings were spread over me like a canopy. “I-I love you!”

He shuddered again as I said it over and over. When he finally pulled out, we were both so exhausted that we collapsed on the bed next to each other. He kissed me lightly as he covered my naked body with a soft sheet.

“I love you, too.” He said as he ran his hand through my hair. I fell asleep almost instantly with the happiest smile on my face.

* * *

  
“Why are you still awake?” I asked, coming into the study. The suns had set hours ago, so much so that they were about to rise again. Axel was sitting at his desk, the light on and his eyes red. He glanced up and grinned tiredly, pushing his glasses onto the top of his head and rubbing his eyes. He closed the book in front of him.

“Is it that late already?” He slurred, yawing.

“Axel the suns are about to rise.” I gave him a warm smile and moved to stand behind his chair. I started rubbing his shoulders and he groaned.

“Already?” He yawned again.

“What are you working on?” I peeked at his notes, marveling at the neat handwriting.

“I’m looking for the wizard who sent you here.” He said, his voice deep with exhaustion. I felt my heart skip a beat.

“The wizard…” I repeated, remembering why I was on this island in the first place. Somehow I had forgotten about home. It was this island, I tried to convince myself. The island is what made me forget about my friends and family…

“I should have been looking for a way to return you home for weeks now but I was being selfish.” He sighed and stood, his wings stretching behind him before settling back against his spine. He looked at me sadly.

“Selfish?” I whispered, not wanting to think of what he meant.

“You have a life and a family back in your dimension. It was selfish of me to wait so long to track down the wizard simply because I didn’t want you to leave.”

“What if I don’t want to leave?” I asked quietly. Axel froze, his muscles tensing.

“Don’t say that. As much as you like it here, this island is not your home. You need to be around people of your own kind.” He turned to me and placed a warm hand on my cheek. “I can’t hold on to you forever.”

My own hand met the one on my cheek and I rested my head on his palm.

“I don’t want to leave you.” I choked out, feeling my eyes burn. He pulled me into a hug. When he pulled away his own eyes were suspiciously shiny.

“My sources tell me the wizard should be somewhere in the forest, but I don’t know where. It’ll take some time to find him.” He looked like he wanted to say more but he just took me back to the bedroom where the sheets were still messed up from where I was just sleeping.

“We can deal with it later.” I said, knowing I wouldn’t be able to sway him on this. He came over and kissed the top of my head. We both got under the covers and curled up, his arm wrapped securely around my waist.

He fell asleep almost instantly, his breath steadying as I stared at the ceiling. I was torn. Part of me knew I should return home to my family and my human life. That’s where I belonged. But another part of me never wanted to give this up. Axel huffed in his sleep, his warm breath on the back of my neck and his arm tightened around me. I had never felt so safe in someone’s arms before, and if I left I would never see him again.

Tears burned my eyes as I realized I would have to make an impossible decision.

* * *

  
“Do you have everything packed?” Axel asked, hoisting a backpack onto his shoulders. A week after that late night in the study, he found approximately where the wizard was. He said it was a three day hike into the forest in the best case scenario.

“I think so.” I responded, picking up my own backpack. “Why couldn’t we just fly to this wizard?”

“The forest is too dense for me to fly in, even in my human form. We’re trekking into the deepest part of the island, where not many dare venture anymore.”

“Sounds like fun.” I said sarcastically. Axel just smiled at me and took my hand in his.

“No need for that tone. You’ll be going home soon. Isn’t that exciting?” His tone didn’t match his words at all.

“What if I don’t want to leave?” I asked again, echoing myself from a week ago. He just smiled sadly.

“Everyone wants to be with their family. It’s in their nature. I always knew you would have to go back, which is why I fought my instincts for so long.”

I went up to him and leaned into his chest, listening to his heart beat – trying to memorize it. Soon it’ll be gone forever.

“Let’s go. We have a long few days ahead of us.” He said, reluctantly pulling away from me. I sighed and followed him.

The start of the trip wasn’t anything notable. We stopped a few times so Axel could explain how plants can be used in medicine or how certain landmarks were created. I could tell he was stalling, but he couldn’t stall forever.

The first night was clear, so we found a stretch of moss and curled up next to each other, his wings opening up and acting as a roof. We woke with the sun, the birds and other creatures singing with the dawn. My legs were sore from walking yesterday, but I wasn’t going to ruin this by complaining.

“How are you doing?” He asked, halfway through the second day. We stopped in a glade and pulled out some food for lunch. I groaned as I stretched my legs out.

“My legs are a little sore, but it’s not too bad yet.” I could feel the stress melting from my legs already. I didn’t realize how much I missed sitting down.

“Here, there might be something I can do.” He came over and placed a hand on my thigh. I couldn’t help but blush at the touch. His hand began to glow and the pain in my leg began to fade. He repeated it with the other leg, and I felt ready to walk for another few days.

“Thanks, Axel.” I smiled, kissing him. “I didn’t know you knew healing magic.”

“I know a little about every kind of magic.” He said, the feathers in his hair puffing up slightly with pride. I grinned at him and tackled him into the ground.

“You’re perfect, Axel.” I whispered. His chuckle rattled my chest.

“I’m far from perfect.” He said, lifting his head so our foreheads were touching. I had knocked his glasses askew but he didn’t move to fix them.

“I don’t want to leave you,” I said quietly, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“You can’t stay here,” was all he said, sitting up and adjusting me in his lap.

“But…” I knew he was right. We sat there for a few minutes before we had to get going. We had been making good time, but the sun would be setting in a few hours and we were only halfway there. We continued on our way, hand in hand.

* * *

  
“Emma, stay under the shelter.” Axel called over the rain. The storm had rolled in without much warning. Thanks to Axel’s magic, we managed about a thirty minute preparation and constructed a makeshift shelter out of pine branches. We had stashed our bags under a rock formation to keep dry, but the shelter wasn’t doing much to keep me dry.

“Where are you going? I called back, squinting through the downpour. I didn’t know how the rain was so heavy down in the forest since the trees were so thick, but then again nothing on this island made much sense.

“I need to get something!” His voice carried as he sprinted through the rain. I sat under the shelter, avoiding the drips and ignoring the anxiety building in my chest.

Minutes passed and he was nowhere to be seen. The rain wasn’t letting up either. In fact, it seemed like it was raining even harder somehow. I told myself I would wait another five minutes, but at the sound of a loud thunderclap I ran from the shelter.

I had no idea where he went, and the rain washed away any footprints that would have been left. I knew he went in the direction of the rock formation where out bags were, but

I couldn’t see more than four feet in front of me so I had no idea if he was still there.

The mud kept dragging me down, causing me to slip and fall every few steps. The rain didn’t help, practically blinding me. I heard something through the pounding rain.

It sounded like someone doing heavy lifting. I recognized the voice and rushed over. It was Axel, like I knew it would be, but he was in trouble.

In front of the rock formation, halfway down the hill, Axel’s wing was trapped under a large rock. All around was mud moving down the hill. There must have been a mud slide right there. Another rock shifted and the mud moved again, causing Axel to roar in pain. I realized with a jolt of horror that with every move the rock makes, his wing was yanked away from his shoulder.

I reached into my magic and tried to lift the rock, but the rain kept distracting me. I managed to get it mostly off his wings, but not enough for him to escape. I didn’t even think as I threw myself down the mud slide. Somehow I didn’t fall, but I thank my balance for that.

The rock was even bigger up close, the size of a full grown man. I could see feathers stuck in the mud from being ripped of Axel’s wing. I felt tears in my eyes as I saw the patches on the limb as he struggled again.

I dug my fingers under the rock, wincing as dirt and stick got under my nails. I lifted, but the rock didn’t budge at all. There was another thunder clap and the mud started moving again. I knew his wing would be ripped of completely if I couldn’t get this rock off soon.

Steeling my nerves, I lifted with all my might. I felt the rock give a little, and I saw the wing slip out a little. I grinned viciously and threw all my weight behind the rock, using the mud to slide it off to the side.

Through the rain I saw another mudslide fast approaching. I had maybe ten seconds to free him or lose him. The thought of losing him caused my magic to shoot out on its own, the rock shooting away and breaking down a nearby tree.

Axel fell free, his wing useless at his side. I managed to tackle him out of the way of the mud slide just as it was about to drown him. We sat under the protection of a tall pine tree, gasping for breath.

“Are you okay?” I panted, knowing he wasn’t okay. His one wing was tucked up against his back like usual, but the other was hanging limp on the ground, patches of missing feathers caked with mud. He couldn’t say anything, just grunt in pain. “Don’t worry, I’ll fix your wing.”

I didn’t know if I would be able to, but there had to be something I could do. Thankfully the tree we were under had thick enough branches to keep most of the water from hitting us. It was fairly dry underneath its canopy.

I cleaned the mud off as best as I could, pushing through my urge to stop every time he would make pained noises. It didn’t seem that anything was broken, which managed to get my heart beating again. I wasn’t sure if I breathed at all during that time.

I placed my hand on his wing and thought about it being whole again. I didn’t know any healing magic, but I’ve realized in the past few months that the magic tends to have a general idea of what you want if you give it instructions.

My hands grew warm and I could feel my magic deplete. Axel’s face smoothed as I did this, so I guessed I did something right.

Soon, I was out of magic so I had to stop but it was enough. Axel sat up and tucked his wing stiffly behind his back. It didn’t looked comfortable, but it didn’t look as painful anymore.

“Thank you, Emma,” he breathed, leaning back against the tree trunk. “It was foolish of me to leave during the storm. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” I said truthfully. I knew I should be a little upset for him leaving, but the relief I felt knowing he was okay masked any anger. “What was so important that you needed to leave?”

“I needed to make sure this stayed safe. I forgot to take it out of my bag before hiding them.” He said, sitting up and reaching into his jacket pocket. He pulled out a small leather pouch and handed it to me.

Inside was a necklace. There was a replica of a crystal flower made from actual stone in the center, with two sandy colored feathers behind it so one fell on either side. There were three beads on either side of the chain, which was golden.

“Axel…” I was speechless.

“Here, let me put it on. The clasp can be a little tricky.” He reached over and easily clipped the necklace on. It rested right below my collar bones, the crystal flower warm against my chilled skin. My hand instinctively reached up to it. I could feel the magic swirling under my fingertips.

“Thank you,” I said, letting the tears finally fall. He wiped the tears off my cheek with a gentle hand and brought my face close to his. He kissed me gently but firmly.

“This way you’ll never forget me.” His voice was hoarse. I buried my face in his neck, shaking my head.

“I could never forget about you, Axel,” I choked out, my tears soaking into his already soaked shirt. His arms wrapped around my back and held me tight, as if he were afraid I would disappear into thin air.

The rain started to slow, and I wanted to flip off the sky for its awful timing. I knew Axel couldn’t do anything with his injured wing, but this might have been our last night together. I turned to him and kissed him deeply.

“What-?” he started before seeing the mix of longing and desperation in my eyes. His own expression softened and he leaned in again. “Careful, love, don’t be too rough with me.” I couldn’t help but smile into the kiss.

“I’ll be are careful as possible,” I said, gently stroking the tops of his wings that stuck out from his back. He shuddered and leaned in more.

* * *

  
By the time we woke up the next morning, the rain had stopped. Our clothes were still damp, but not as soaking wet as I thought they would be. We hiked up the hill to the rock formation and I was surprised to see our backpacks intact.

“We shouldn’t be too far away.” Axel said, checking a compass he pulled from a small pocket. “That storm threw us off track through. We should make it by sundown tomorrow if I’m not mistaken.” He hoisted his bag onto his back and took my hand in his.

I was secretly happy to hear we had an extra day together. The hour glass hanging above my head was running out of sand, and I would treasure every grain I got.

As we walked, I admired the way his sandy hair fell across his forehead, how the feathers blended in with the hair perfectly and how from the side his nose reminded me of a bird. I giggled a little at that thought. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye and smiled.

“What’s so funny?” He asked, smirking slightly.

“I just noticed how much you look like a frazzled parrot.” I said jokingly. He looked offended, but the serious expression only lasted for a moment before a smile broke through.

“You don’t look that together, yourself.” He said, gently tugging a stick from my tangled hair. I didn’t have a comeback so I just stuck my tongue out at him.

“How’s your wing feeling?” I asked, glancing back at the wing, which was held a little looser than its brother.

“Much better.” He held a branch aside for me. “Thanks to you, that is.”

“I couldn’t just leave you there,” I said, looking away. His hand tightened around mine.

“I know.” He fell silent and I wasn’t going to break it. We walked without talking for a while, just soaking in each other’s presence as much as we could.

We made camp just as the sun was setting, Axel using his good wing as shelter again. I snuggled up again his side, his warmth getting rid of any need for a fire.

I’m not sure either of us slept that night. I know I didn’t. We just sat there, pretending it wasn’t our last night together.

* * *

  
“The wizard should be right over this hill,” Axel said in the early afternoon. We had a long breakfast, and then a long lunch, but we made it despite our stalling. Each step up the hill felt leaden. We reached the top and I saw a small meadow with a small cottage in the middle.

“It’s not too late,” I said, not taking my eyes off the cottage.

“Too late for what?”

“To turn back.”

“We can’t,” he looked at me, his eyes finally showing his true age. “I can’t do that to you. I can’t be selfish anymore.”

“What if I want to be selfish?” I asked, refusing to cry. He smiled sadly.

“Come on. He’s expecting us.” He led me down the hill into the meadow. I could feel the magic cracking in the air. Looked up and saw the sky above the meadow was moving like a large screen rather than an actual sky. “He enchanted this area to look like an open meadow, but in reality there are tree branches about ten feet above us.”

I didn’t respond, because I knew if I opened my mouth I would lose it. Axel knocked on the door, which sounded more like metal than wood despite the wood grain pattern. It opened soundlessly, but there was no one there.

“Come in, come in! I’ve been expecting you.” A voice called from inside the cottage. We entered, and while it shouldn’t have surprised me, I gasped a little. The inside of the cottage was enormous. It reminded me of Victorian mansions from back home. “You’re late, you know.”

The wizard was a human, as far as I could tell. He didn’t have wings or horns or sharp teeth. He was tall, at least as tall as Axel, but skinny like a teenager. His hair was messy, as if he couldn’t have been bothered to trim it lately.

It was definitely the same man from the boat. Ageless and infinitely powerful. Though the goofy grin on his face didn’t boost my confidence in his ability to get me home.

“There was a storm,” Axel said, polite as always. The Wizard nodded like a scholar agreeing to a peer’s thesis. Haughty and a little fake.

“Ah yes, that would be my fault,” he said flippantly. I felt a spark of anger. It was his fault Axel almost lost a wing. The Griffin didn’t seem fazed though. “I was doing an experiment with elementals and one got out. It wasn’t too happy with me,” he said with a wide grin, as if his cat peed on the carpet in retaliation rather than an angry elemental almost killing us.

“We’re here-”Axel tried to start before being cut off.

“Oh I know why you’re here, old friend,” the Wizard said as he moved to a table, shuffling through papers. “I know everything there is to know. It’s quite tiresome sometimes, knowing everything there is to know. You can’t tell others, because they wouldn’t understand! It’s quite lonely sometimes…” He trailed off, face going blank for a moment before perking right back up. “Anyway, the human wishes to return home, right?”

“She’s been away from her family for too long. She needs to be around her own kind,” Axel said, his voice wavering slightly.

“Easy!” The Wizard exclaimed. “It’ll be an easy spell.”

“That’s a new one,” Axel commented. “With you it’s usually convoluted schemes to fix something you messed up.”

“Usually yes, but this is a simple transport spell.” He said, rummaging through an under-the-counter cabinet and pulling out a box of chalk. “If you have any final farewells, I would say them now,” he said as he cleared a space on the ground with his foot.

“Axel, thank you.” I turned to him. “For everything. For helping me when I first got here and getting the job at the Inn and teaching me magic and loving me.” I felt tears on my cheeks. I knew it would hurt, but this was excruciating. It felt like my chest was about to break into pieces.

“There’s no need to thank me,” he said, trying to smile. “I’m just grateful we had as much time as we did together. The fact our paths crossed at all is my biggest gift.” His eyes were misty.

I threw my arms around his neck, holding him tight for the last time. I knew I was sobbing grossly, but I never thought I would ever love someone as much as I loved Axel, and now I would never see him again.

They say it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, but as I stepped into the chalk circle and made eye contact with Axel one last time I wasn’t sure they were right.

“I love you.”

And my vision faded to black.

* * *

  
The first thing I noticed was an annoying beeping. It was a constant beep that made me want to break something. The second thing I noticed was something hot resting on my chest. My eyes cracked open and were instantly closed again. Wherever I was, it was very white.

I opened my eyes again, slower this time, and realized I was in the hospital. It wasn’t that the room was blindingly white, but rather the light from the window made everything brighter. I looked to my right and saw my mom sleeping in a cot next to the bed.

She looked years older, her hair had more grey and her eyes looked exhausted. The beeping picked up, and she was instantly awake. When she saw I was too, she burst into tears.

The next few hours were crazy. Doctors and nurses and family all wanting to see me and talk to me and asking what happened. I found out that I had been in a coma for almost two months. The doctors said I had excess water in my lungs as well as head trauma from the ship sinking. They didn’t think I would wake up for a few more weeks.

I sat up and thought back. Was it all just a dream? The idea that everything that happened was a dream made my chest hurt. My heart monitor sped up, causing a nurse to come in. I assured her everything was fine and flopped back onto the bed.

I was released a week later, after I passed all the tests they needed to do. It was disorienting, going back home after thinking you’ve spent several months on a magical island. I didn’t tell anyone about my adventures. It felt too intimate to share.

Instead, I started writing it down. I bought a journal that reminded me of the leather bound books in Axel’s library and began writing. It took more than a month to write everything down with as much detail as I could.

The story ended five pages from the end of the journal, and part of me wondered if there was more to the story that I hadn’t gotten to yet. I shook my head and moved to put the journal in my bedside drawer when something caught my eye.

It was a necklace. The first day back from the hospital was a blur, everyone shoving everything everywhere. I pulled it out, a sinking feeling in my stomach. It was a crystal flower with two sandy feathers on a golden chain.

It must have been a coincidence. I put the necklace on, feeling ghost fingers over my own as I clipped it on. I must have subconsciously placed the necklace into my coma dream. I closed the drawer and tried to sleep, my dreams plagued with images of sandy wings and warm smiles.

* * *

  
I stared at my ceiling, not sure what I was doing. I had gotten out of the hospital months ago. Everything was back to normal, or as normal as it could be. My boss was unbelievably understanding about everything. My friends welcomed me back with open arms and my family wasn’t too clingy. It was perfect.

But something was still missing.

A few times my friends had pointed out guys around town and at the bar, but I just couldn’t find any interest in them. They were all missing something. The coma dream was fading from my memory with each passing day. I could barely remember anything past a forest and a pair of wings. I knew I could read my journal, but I could finally get out of bed without my chest hurting. I didn’t want to go back to that.

I rolled over and pulled out the journal against my better judgment and flipped it open to a random page.

I wrote about a man named Axel and something called a water message. He explained how it worked, and I felt a stirring in my chest. I laughed at myself and tossed the book back in the drawer. I rolled off the bed and into the bathroom.

Plugging the tub, I started running a hot bath. My friend had convinced me to buy an expensive bath bomb from a store in the mall, and today was the perfect time to use it. As the bath filled, I found myself thinking about this Axel character.

The longer I thought, the more my chest hurt. The bath filled and I turned off the tap, waiting for the water to settle. I wanted to see the bomb fizzle without the movement from the water messing it up. Just as I was about to plop the bomb in, I had a thought.

I hand my hand over the water and said his name, loud and clear. The water seemed to ripple and I held my breath. My heart began beating a thousand miles a minute, but as the water settled again, I knew it was making a fool of myself.

I placed the bath bomb on the edge of the sink and pulled a towel out of the closet, preparing to take of my clothing. Just as I was about to lift my shirt over my head, I heard a cough.

My breath caught in my throat as I turned back to the tub. Peering over the edge, I gasped loudly. There was a face in the water, slightly distorted by an invisible breeze. The man was older, with sandy hair and feathers that matched the one in my necklace. He wore wire-rimmed glasses and a warm smile. When he saw my face, his smile brightened a thousand times more.

I couldn’t say anything. A single tear dripped down my cheek and splashed into the tub, causing a ripple. I couldn’t keep the smile from the face.

“You’re real.” I whispered, my tears dripping harder. He laughed and rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand, pushing his glasses up slightly in the process.

“As are you,” he said, his gravelly voice as familiar to me as my own.

“I thought it was all a dream.” My voice found a little strength.

“I was afraid you would forget entirely,” he said, his voice shaking a little.

“I almost did.” I admitted, shaking my head. “If I hadn’t written everything down when I got home from the hospital, I would have.”

“I never thought I would see you again,” he said almost painfully.

“I’m here, Axel.” I said his name and felt warmth spread through me. He smiled at me and swallowed thickly.

"As am I."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since this chapter was 31 pages, I'm going to have each route split into two chapters. I'll write it all at once so the two chapters will be posted close to each other.


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